What is Pain?
In modern medicine, pain is described as a sensation that hurts. The byproduct of pain can be feelings of distress, certainly discomfort and even agony. Pain can be sharp, pain can be dull, you might have a pinching sensation or even a stabbing one. It might ache, it might throb, it could be chronic, and it might be acute. However pain is described, it hurts.
Pain perception is two-part, First, you realize something uncomfortable is going on in a certain part of your body. Second, your mind processes this and you react to this information. This is the part where you begin to “hurt” and the part that triggers discomfort.
How Can Hypnotherapy Help with Pain Control?
Most people don’t think of Hypnosis in the context of treating pain. When you mention hypnotism, it conjures up many different visualizations. perhaps you think you might do something embarrassing or fall spontaneously into a deep sleep. Actually, we like to think of Hypnosis as a guided journey of imagery. Hypnotherapy deals with the subconscious mind, making it easier for you to hear and ascertain suggestions. Pain is part of your body’s natural instincts; it acts as a warning to let you know when you are in trouble. In the case of pain management, a hypnotist is able to decrease pain by dealing with your subconscious and convincing it that it is OK to let down its guard and relax.
What to expect
Hypnosis allows your conscious mind to rest temporarily so you can be receptive to positive suggestions. During a hypnosis session, we first sit down with our clients and briefly interview them about their pain and try to pin point what caused the pain. Once we have a baseline, we often teach our clients visualization, relaxation and guided imagery. The session last typically up to an hour. Our sessions are done in a clinical setting and are intended to be relaxing and enriching. We than conclude with teaching self-hypnosis techniques and provide literature and resources for our patients to use ongoing.