Key points
- Research shows benefits of hypnosis benefits when used alongside current treatments for pain reduction
- Hypnosis results were positive across acute and chronic pain
With pain affecting over 3.6 million Australians daily, its no wonder people are curious about hypnosis and if it could help them.
Researchers from NeuRA and UNSW found consistent benefits from hypnosis when used alongside other treatments for pain reduction, such as medication.
Professor Rodrigo Rizzo, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at NeuRA and UNSW said the results of ‘Adjunctive Use of Hypnosis for Clinical’, published in PAIN Reports, looked at hypnosis for people with different pain conditions, including chronic pain, medical procedures and wound care due to burning.
“Despite advancements in understanding of pain, effective management remains challenging for many living with chronic conditions,” Prof Rizzo said.
“People are very curious about hypnosis, but there is a lack of information about its effectiveness. This study suggests that hypnosis provides additional benefits for current treatments and it would be worth using clinical hypnosis to reduce pain. Compared to drug interventions, we believe that the use of clinical hypnosis is safe and low-cost and may be another option based on the patient’s preferences.”
Chronic pain affects more than 30 per cent of people worldwide and current standalone treatments show limited analgesic benefits despite their high costs and adverse effects. The study found with the additional of hypnosis, pain intensity was further decreased.
Read the full paper here https://journals.lww.com/painrpts/Fulltext/2024/10000/adjunctive_use_of_hypnosis_for_clinical_pain__a.9.aspx
