MEDICAL & DENTAL HYPNOSIS
Some areas in the Medical and Dental fields that can be addressed are:
Oncology: Reduce stress and pain, relieve nausea, decrease side effects of radiation and chemotherapy, increase confidence, improve self-image and help with end of life issues. Excellent results have occurred by enhancing the immune system.
Gynecology: Relive uncomfortable symptoms of
pregnancy, including nausea and back pain, easing childbirth,
reducing PMS symptoms and genital warts and working through sexual
trauma.
Injury & Illness: Reduce pain and inflammation,
shorten recovery, slow bleeding and improve wound healing, improve
immune response, increase relaxation and general sense of well
being.
Surgery and Medical Procedures: Prepare emotionally
and physically for surgery, reduce the need for anesthesia and pain
medications, minimize complications and side effects, shorten
recovery time.
Digestive Disorders: Improve digestive functioning,
including reducing excess stomach acid, IBS, and supporting improved
eating habits and self-care.
Heart and Blood Pressure: Lower blood pressure,
support life style improvements, including diet, exercise and stress
management.
General Health and Well Being: Improve body image,
self-care, diet and exercise, develop positive, resourceful
attitudes and behaviors.
Some Indications for Medical & Dental Hypnosis
The following are just some of the indications for the use of Medical
Hypnosis.
Pain: Some patients worry that if hypnosis helps their pain
that it means that the pain is “all in their head.” This could
be true because we know that all pain originates in the brain as an
interpretation to a stimulus. Pain related to surgery or
medical conditions can respond well to hypnosis. It works with
the patient to build in safeguards to adjust for changes or increase
in the pain.
Habit Disorders: Hypnosis has been shown to be effective for Bruxism
(teeth grinding). It has, also been very successful in helping
individuals stop smoking; for alcoholism or other chemical
dependencies. It is strongly suggested to have an additional
support network in conjunction with their hypnosis.
Nausea and Conditions in Pregnancy: There have been good results
using hypnosis to attenuate nausea associated with cancer
chemotherapy. “Morning sickness” in pregnancy can also be alleviated
without medication unless absolutely necessary. It is a
very effective tool when used in childbirth preparation classes such
as Lamaze.
Relaxation: Hypnosis induces a state of relaxation. This can
be short term as when used to interrupt panic or with a motivated
individual can often achieve longer-term results.
Anxiety States: Hypnosis can help anxiety disorders in various ways.
It can directly decrease it by inducing a relaxation state or
indirectly address it by the use of metaphors to give the patient a
new way to see his or her problems.
Interruption of Strong Emotional State: Individuals in crisis
are often more susceptible to suggestion. Receptive
individuals may actually dissociate spontaneously during a trauma or
crisis.
There are many additional indications for medical
hypnosis that the medical health care practitioner and/or provider
may identify.
Objectives of the Hypnotherapist
The objectives are clear: To help create a sense of peace and
harmony within the individual so that the current challenge can be
met and dealt with in a positive manner, thus making the journey
toward wellness and peace of mind less traumatic.
The objectives include the following:
- Aid the physician by preparing the patient, thereby enhancing the healing process.
- Aid the physician in bringing the patient to a state of wellness.
- Reinforce the physician's "orders" and give suggestions for continued speedy recovery.
- Aid the hospital or health care
facility in the performance of their function to:
a. Meet the requirements of D.R.G.
b. Reduce the amount of drugs the patient would normally require, especially in
the control of pain.
- Reduce the fear and anxiety
associated with surgical procedures and catastrophic illness.
- Assist the family in reducing their
anxiety.
- Teach the family members appropriate suggestions to reinforce the physician's and hospital staff's efforts on behalf of the patient.
- Teach the patient how to use self-hypnosis after the hospital stay to control pain and aid in his/her healing process.
- Help prepare the family for what they will feel as they wait for results of surgery, tests, etc.; as they see their beloved in ICU; and to dispel any negative feelings in order to create peace and harmony within themselves.
The hypnotherapist also helps people deal effectively with non-medical problems. Finding solutions to self-sabotaging habits leads to peace of mind and control of negative behavior.