According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 50 million Americans have chronic pain. That’s over 20% of the adult population of the United States! Estimates vary regarding how many of these individuals experience “high-impact chronic pain,” which is pain that is severe enough to limit work or life activities. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimate that number to be 11 million, while the CDC estimates it at 20 million.[1] Either way, a lot of people are experiencing pain as part of their daily existence.
Hypnosis is an effective means of achieving pain relief, and even pain release in some cases. In fact, clinical trials have found that hypnosis treatment: results in “substantial reductions in average pain intensity that is maintained for up to 12 months in some—but not all—patients”; and “teaches self-management skills that patients can (and most do) continue to use regularly and that can result in temporary pain relief.” These studies have also found that hypnosis can help those experiencing pain with improved mood, improved activity levels, increased coping responses, and better sleep quality.[2]
New research shows that pain can be reduced by 29% (for moderately suggestible people) – 42% (for highly suggestible people) with hypnosis, suggesting that hypnosis “may offer a genuine alternative to painkillers.”[3]
It’s important when dealing with pain to realize that physical pain does not necessarily have to equal suffering. In other words, pain doesn’t have to keep you from participating in, and enjoying, life. Medical providers focus on their patients’ disabilities; I help my clients focus on their abilities—their possibilities, as opposed to their limitations.
I have helped clients for years to decrease or release pain from: plantar fasciitis, back pain, neck pain, knee pain, hip pain, abdominal pain, and pain in many other areas of the body. It’s also important to note that pain is a signal from your body to your mind that your body needs attention. I work with my clients to distinguish between acute pain—which requires immediate medical attention—and chronic pain or habituated thought patterns. This allows them to take back control over their thoughts and physical responses, which allows them to achieve greater levels of comfort.
Because I’m not a medical provider, you can expect me to contact your physician, prior to us working together. This allows for coordinated care between myself and your care provider. Also, although I’m not a medical provider, you can expect me to abide by the “Pain Care Bill of Rights,” developed by the American Pain Foundation.
Read what some of my other clients have to say about my pain release services here.
Call (301) 365-2428 for a free consultation about releasing pain.
[1] Anson, Pat. “CDC: 50 Million Americans Have Chronic Pain.” Pain News Network, September 13, 2018. Accessed online 05/07/19: https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2018/9/13/cdc-50-million-americans-have-chronic-pain.
[2] Jensen, Mark P. and Patterson, David R. “Hypnotic Approaches for Chronic Pain Management: Clinical Implications of Recent Research Findings.” American Psychologist, February-March 2014; 69(2): 167-177. The abstract can be accessed at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24547802.
[3] Shrourou, Alina. “Hypnosis may offer a genuine alternative to painkillers.” News Medical, April 23, 2019. Accessed online 05/07/09: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20190423/Hypnosis-may-offer-a-genuine-alternative-to-painkillers.aspx. Full report: Thompson T; Terhune DB; Oram C; Sharangparni J; Rouf R; Solmi M; Veronese N; Stubbs B. “The effectiveness of hypnosis for pain relief: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 85 controlled experimental trials.” Neurosci Biobehav Rev, April 2019; 99:298-310. Abstract available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30790634.