Hypnotic approaches for chronic pain management: Clinical implications of recent research findings.

Abstract

The empirical support for hypnosis for chronic pain management has flourished over the past two decades. Clinical trials show that hypnosis is effective for reducing chronic pain, although outcomes vary between individuals. The findings from these clinical trials also show that hypnotic treatments have a number of positive effects beyond pain control. Neurophysiological studies reveal that hypnotic analgesia has clear effects on brain and spinal-cord functioning that differ as a function of the specific hypnotic suggestions made, providing further evidence for the specific effects of hypnosis. The research results have important implications for how clinicians can help their clients experience maximum benefits from hypnosis and treatments that include hypnotic components.

Brain Oscillations, Hypnosis, and Hypnotizability

“…The hypothesis that slow wave oscillations facilitate response to suggestions, if supported, may help to explain the known variability in hypnotic responding between individuals (Hilgard & Hilgard, 1975; Jensen & Patterson, 2014). We know, for example, that some individuals do not require hypnotic inductions to respond to challenging or difficult suggestions (e.g., suggestions for hallucinations, complete amnesia for the hypnotic session, or elimination of severe pain; Barabasz & Watkins, 2005).…”

Contribuições da Hipnose para a Pesquisa Qualitativa

“…Primeiramente, de um ponto de vista técnico, a construção de semelhante contexto relacional precisa oferecer possibilidades diversas de criação, principalmente no tocante à emergência de processos além do controle consciente e deliberado do sujeito. A dimensão analógica aqui destacada é de grande relevância nesse sentido por oferecer possibilidades criativas que fogem à lógica dominante em muitas pesquisas atuais (Jensen & Patterson, 2014) na qual uma sugestão visa obter uma determinada resposta: ela se refere, antes de tudo, a um espectro de possibilidades para as construções do sujeito, envolvendo determinada temática simbólica relevante para aquele momento particular (Erickson, 1967;Neubern, 2012a). As técnicas indutoras de uma pesquisa, portanto, necessitam possuir um caráter aberto, no sentido de oferecer múltiplas possibilidades de criação e espontaneidade e, em certa medida, analógico a fim de favorecer o acesso a dimensões contraditórias da subjetividade, nem sempre acessíveis por técnicas diretas de interrogação.…”

Effects of self-conditioning techniques in promoting weight loss in patients with severe obesity: a randomized controlled trial protocol

“…19 The core components of hypnosis involve reduced awareness of external stimuli, increased responsiveness to hypnotic suggestions, deep relaxation, increased capacity to enhance mental representations, and absorption in hypnotic suggestions. 20,21 Suggestions may be verbal and non-verbal communications that can be used to influence mood, behavior, and habits. 22,23 Hypnosis has been used in medicine for different purposes: the control of acute and chronic pain, support during labor, smoking cessation, anxiety alleviation, treatment of conversion disorders, schizophrenia and insomnia, with mixed results.…”