Pain is a common complaint we get in our Hypnotherapy practice from our clients, as most of people at one point in their life will feel pain at some parts of their bodies. Painkillers is usually the first aid that comes to our mind and usually that does the trick. However, many people struggle with persistent pain that lingers even when medical tests show no clear cause. In other cases, pain medications lose effectiveness over time, leaving patients searching for alternative relief. This is where hypnotherapy can play a powerful role, addressing both the physical and psychological dimensions of pain.
What causes pain?
Pain is a complex experience caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors. At its core, though, pain usually starts with the nervous system responding to actual or potential tissue damage. Here’s a quick breakdown of what causes pain:
1. Physical Causes (Nociceptive Pain)
This is pain from physical damage or inflammation:
- Injury (cuts, burns, broken bones)
- Surgery
- Arthritis
- Infections Your body detects damage through nerve endings called nociceptors, which send signals through the spinal cord to your brain. Your brain interprets those signals as pain.
2. Nerve Damage (Neuropathic Pain)
Sometimes pain is caused by damage or dysfunction in the nervous system itself:
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Shingles
- Sciatica
- Multiple sclerosis This kind of pain can feel sharp, shooting, burning, or like “pins and needles.”
3. Psychological Factors
Pain isn’t just physical. Emotions like stress, anxiety, or depression can amplify pain—or even cause it:
- Tension headaches
- Fibromyalgia
- Somatic symptom disorders Your brain plays a huge role in how pain is perceived and how intense it feels.
4. Other Causes
- Chronic inflammation
- Cancer
- Autoimmune diseases
- Visceral pain (from internal organs, like stomach cramps or heart attacks)
Pain is your body’s way of saying “something’s not right.” But sometimes the system can go haywire and send pain signals even when there’s no real threat—especially in chronic pain conditions.
How Hypnotherapy can help with pain?
Hypnotherapy uses guided relaxation and focused attention to reach a trance-like state. In that state, you’re more open to suggestions that can help shift how you perceive pain.
It’s not like stage hypnosis or mind control—it’s more like deep, therapeutic meditation with a guide.
Here is how Hypnotherapy can help with pain:
1. Changing the Brain’s Pain Response
Pain isn’t just in the body—it’s processed in the brain. Hypnotherapy can retrain the brain’s pain pathways to reduce the intensity or emotional reaction to pain.
2. Reducing Muscle Tension & Stress
Pain often gets worse when you’re tense or anxious. Hypnosis can calm the nervous system, lower stress hormones like cortisol, and help relax muscles.
3. Altering Pain Perception
Under hypnosis, people can learn to reinterpret pain signals. For example:
- Visualizing pain as a dial they can turn down
- Imagining soothing sensations replacing the pain
- Reframing the pain as “less threatening” so it feels more manageable
4. Improving Sleep and Coping
Chronic pain often disrupts sleep and mood. Hypnotherapy can improve sleep quality, reduce depression or anxiety related to pain, and help people feel more in control.
What does the research says?
1. Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
- A comprehensive meta-analysis of 85 controlled trials concluded that hypnosis significantly reduces pain intensity, especially in individuals with medium to high suggestibility. However, its effectiveness diminishes in those with low suggestibility.
- Another meta-analysis found that hypnosis produced moderate to large reductions in pain across 18 studies, reinforcing its efficacy in pain management.
2. Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs)
- A University of Washington study demonstrated that clinical hypnosis reduced pain in nearly 90% of individuals with new spinal cord injuries. The study combined hypnosis with cognitive behavioral therapy to address automatic fear responses to pain.
- In a randomized controlled trial, hypnosis was used as an adjunct to opioid treatment in patients undergoing major oncologic surgery. The results indicated that hypnosis effectively reduced pain and minimized opioid use.
3. Specific Applications
- Hypnosis has been effective in reducing pain associated with various medical procedures, including burn-wound debridement, bone marrow aspirations, and childbirth.
- It has also been utilized to manage pain in conditions like fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), cancer-related pain, and arthritis.
How many sessions do I need to feel better?
The number of hypnotherapy sessions needed for pain management can vary depending on several factors, including:
- Type and Severity of Pain – Chronic pain (e.g., fibromyalgia, neuropathy) may require more sessions than acute pain.
- Individual Responsiveness – Some people respond quickly to hypnotherapy, while others need more time.
- Underlying Causes – Pain with psychological or stress-related components (e.g., tension headaches, IBS) may improve faster.
- Your Goals – Short-term relief vs. long-term pain reprogramming.
General Guidelines for Hypnotherapy in Pain Management:
- Mild to Moderate Pain: 3–6 sessions
- Chronic or Severe Pain: 6–12+ sessions (sometimes with ongoing maintenance)
- Supportive Care: Some people benefit from occasional “booster” sessions.
What to Expect:
- First Session: Assessment, relaxation training, and initial pain-focused hypnosis.
- Follow-ups: Deepening techniques, pain reprocessing, and self-hypnosis training.
To learn more about how Hypnotherapy in London can help you call 020 7101 3284 or send your email to info@london-hypnotics.co.uk
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pain_management
https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2023/09/22/chronic-pain-relief-reduce-study-hypnosis
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00207140008410045
Chronic Pain & Hypnosis (Meta-Analysis)
- Jensen, M. P., & Patterson, D. R. (2014). Hypnotic approaches for chronic pain management: Clinical implications of recent research findings. American Psychologist, 69(2), 167–177.
Hypnosis for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Pain
- Palsson, O. S., & Whitehead, W. E. (2013). Hypnosis for treatment of IBS: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 74(4), 235–243.
Fibromyalgia & Hypnotherapy
- Castel, A., et al. (2012). Efficacy of hypnotherapy in fibromyalgia syndrome treatment: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 60(2), 147–166.
Acute & Procedural Pain (Burns, Surgery, etc.)
- Montgomery, G. H., et al. (2007). A randomized clinical trial of a brief hypnosis intervention to control side effects in breast surgery patients. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 99(17), 1304–1312.
Neuropathic Pain & Hypnosis
- Abrahamsen, R., et al. (2018). Hypnosis versus cognitive behavioral therapy for neuropathic pain: A randomized controlled trial. Pain Reports, 3(6), e692.
Meta-Analysis on Hypnosis for Pain
- Thompson, T., et al. (2019). *The effectiveness of hypnosis for pain relief: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 85 controlled experimental trials.* Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 99, 298–310.
