The list of pain medications on the market is a long one, but not as long as the combined side effects listed on every bottle, magazine and television ad. One concern is the potential risk of becoming addicted to narcotic prescription drugs. Research shows that several popular painkillers may increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular problems. These concerns prompted Merck to pull its blockbuster drug Vioxx off the market. Studies also have linked Celebrex and naproxen (Aleve) to heart risks. [NPR.org, December 23, 2004]
There are a slew of both prescription and nonprescription drugs used to treat chronic pain, all have potential side effects, and in some cases, may take many weeks to reduce pain levels. Some side effects are: allergic reactions, diabetes, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, confusion, constipation, increased blood sugar, liver damage, bleeding peptic ulcers, stomach upset, diarrhea, and kidney problems. Chronic pain often leads to depression and sleep problems and this downward spiral can change a person’s life into a nightmare.
With risks as serious as these we ought to be more mindful before regularly ingesting these pills. Why take chances with those drugs that can produce other illness or even death when hypnosis works without the harmful effects of certain medications? As a hypnotherapist, I know that hypnosis can relieve symptoms of chronic pain from arthritis, Fibromyalgia, IBS, headaches, childbirth and more.
Because thoughts and emotions can and do effect pain, hypnotherapy provides the cognitive behavioral therapy that is often needed to effect change. Move the perception of pain from the foreground of the mind to the background, and it’s possible to change the level of pain.
At the University of North Carolina, hypnosis is transforming the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, a gastro-intestinal disorder, by helping patients to use their mind to quiet their symptoms. Doctors at the University of Washington’s Regional Burn Center in Seattle regularly use hypnosis to help people alleviate their pain. Several Hospitals affiliated with Harvard Medical School are using hypnosis to speed up post surgical recovery time and in the year 2000, studies have shown that patients hypnotized before surgery required less pain medication, sustained fewer complications and left the hospitals faster than patients who went without pre-surgery hypnosis.
Doctors regularly prescribe nicotine patches, gum, lozenges and pills to wean smokers off cigarettes. I personally see three or four smokers each week, and none of those who have quit needed drugs. In fact, some of them tried all of the above and still were smoking when they made their appointment. Pharmaceutical companies are racing to find the magic pill to reduce nicotine cravings, reduce obesity, and treat alcohol and drug abuse. While these are noble causes, what side effects will these new drugs have?
Hypnosis has always been controversial, as has, in the not so distant past, the practice of Chiropractic and Acupuncture. It’s time to put all the fear and the myths behind us and to move ahead into the twenty-first century. Hypnosis is not a spell, but a naturally occurring state that we can learn to use to our benefit. It has been forty-seven years since hypnosis was first approved by the American Medical Association in 1958.
For many years, I have been teaching my clients how to use the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT or tapping). This amazing yet simply technique is useful for almost everything from relieving pain and/or anxiety, to controlling cigarette cravings, reducing obsessive thought patterns, to diminishing fear, reducing grief and sleep deprivation. This procedure is based on acupuncture and combines hypnosis with the physical “tapping” of the meridian points of the energy fields in the body. It allows people to easily help themselves and is completely natural.
Hypnotherapy does not take the place of qualified medical care and one should always consult with their physician before reducing or changing their medications. But hypnotherapy can be a wonderful adjunct in helping one to reduce their medication. The benefits and side effects of hypnosis are many. It’s relaxing, informative and healing. My clients regularly report the added benefit of sleeping better and having an improved mood regardless of why they came in. I always make sure to tell my new clients there is no reason to be afraid or nervous. It’s like having a mental massage that soothes your soul, heals your body and is great for making changes.
Certified as member of the National Guild of Hypnotists since 1999, I can be reached at 413-774-7171 or by clicking the link to contact me.