1. Hypnotherapy Applications in Pain Management Frank McDonald
Consultation-Liaison Psychologist
The Townsville Hospital

2. Introduction
Most popular application in medical settings is for anxiety (e.g. distress during medical procedures like needles, chemotherapy, adrenal vein sampling) & pain control (focus of this session)
Session briefly describes recent pain cases in general hospital setting, after outlining nature of hypnotherapy, its contra/indications & steps involved

3. Overview Video clip of hypno-analgesia followed by hypno-anaesthesia
Nature of hypnosis – What is it? How does it work? Common ideas/misconceptions vs. evidence
Who’s more & less likely to benefit from hypnotherapy?
Contraindications
Procedural stages
Pain mx cases – chronic cervico-genic headaches, pain of burns-bath rx, chronic hyperemesis (severe nausea, stomach pain & vomiting)
Resources

4. Video clip
Dr. Graham Wicks demonstrates hypno- analgesia followed by surgery under hypnosis without anaesthetic
Pre-view video at Dr. Wicks starts around 19 minute mark
Presenter discusses neural mechanisms of pain control as suggested by recent fMRI studies

5. Nature of Hypnosis: What is it & how does it work?
Hypnosis - oldest (cognitive) psychological strategy – predates written history – Egyptian records go back years. Aboriginal Australians & Africans amongst earliest users
A phenomenon of attention in which brain suspends authentication of raw sensory input. (Focus is on internal representation of input. Working with that to change pt’s experience.)
Results in heightened suggestibility (a cognitive flexibility resulting in reduced critical analysis), or at least allows suggestibility to come to the fore

6. Nature of Hypnosis: What is it & how does it work?
In turn, allows access to therapeutically-useful psychological & physical abilities e.g.
dissociation
anaesthesia/analgesia
involuntary movement
time distortion
involuntary nervous system functions (blood flow, coagulation time, blood pressure, peristalsis of digestive tract, heart rate etc )

7. Nature of Hypnosis: What is it & how does it work?
‘Hypnosis’ a form of highly focused attention - like meditation. In meditation you concentrate on nothing in particular (e.g. “the space between thoughts”); in hypnosis on something (usually therapeutic suggestions)
‘Hypnotherapy’ refers to use of strategies & harnessing hypnotic phenomena (e.g. narrowed attention, heightened suggestibilty) in the service of therapeutic goals
Hypnosis is regarded as an adjunct to therapy – not a therapy in its own right. A state of “resting arousal”, unlike sleep or relaxation

8. Nature of Hypnosis: What is it & how does it work?
How it works is not clear – absence of a scientific explanation has limited its acceptance. Age-old debates e.g. Charcot (below) vs. Bernheim & the current ‘special state’ v. ‘role-play’ have made it controversial

9. Nature of Hypnosis: What is it & how does it work?
How? = point of departure/division into two academic camps (& there’s heterogeneity within those)
Some say hypnotic behaviour reflects changes in brain function
Others say social-psychological & ordinary cognitive-behavioural factors, like placebo (albeit hypnosis more effective than sham pills)
Whilst polarising, debate helps us appreciate its dual nature

10. Nature of Hypnosis: What is it & how does it work?
Assuaging an effect of controversies somewhat, PET scan & fMRI studies showing modulations of activity in specific & relevant areas are starting to allay prejudices to its application in certain fields, such as pain mx
The images differ from those of well-instructed, well-motivated role-players

11. Nature of Hypnosis: What is it & how does it work?
So, not just “imagination”, “faking”, “play-acting”, “stage-show gimmickery”. For high & moderate hypnotisables (roughly 2 in 3 people), hypnosis can bring benefits beyond those of imagination or willing

12. Nature of Hypnosis: What is it & how does it work?
Even sceptics (who don’t believe in ‘trances’) believe it can relieve conditions like insomnia, obesity, hypertension & improve behaviour therapies, counselling & coping strategies
Whilst accepting imaging studies, they believe though that hypnosis is not tapping into anything beyond a continuum of everyday abilities that are distributed across the population in a pattern detected by hypnotisability scales
They say it’s just that hypnosis is one of the best ways to tap into these commonplace capacities

13. Nature of Hypnosis: Common ideas vs evidence What do you know about hypnosis? (Nash,2001)

14. Who benefits more?
1. People who score high (26%) and moderately (36%) on scales of hypnotisability. 29% are mildly hypnotisable. (9% unhypnotisable) (Hilgard, 1961)
2. Children (peaks age )
3. People who ask for hypnotherapy/who are motivated
4. People who have an imaginative ability e.g. artistic
types
5. People who have a capacity for emotional involvement
6. People who can take things on faith or trust as opposed to sceptical, analytical types
7. People from certain cultures e.g. Latinos vs. Germans
8. Rights handers vs. left handers

15. Who benefits less?
1. People with abnormally low IQ's (attention and response-time factors)
2. Dementia patients (these patients cannot be hypnotised due to problems in prefrontal areas necessary to process induction signals)
3. People who score low (9%) on scales of hypnotisability
4. People for whom condition brings secondary gains (conscious or unconscious pay-offs)
5. People in psychotic states. (Can uncover too much material and therapist can be drawn in to any delusional beliefs)
6. People in hypermanic states

16. Contraindications
There are few absolute contraindications to the use of hypnosis. It is usually a very safe procedure. But there are number of situations in which you should be cautious
Hypnosis is usually contraindicated if you are dealing with:
1. Any condition which would be better treated another way
2. Any condition outside your specialty and area of expertise
3. Depression with a risk of suicide. Be on the qui-vive for "masked depression" e.g. depression masked by low back pain or a habit disorder. The tranquillising effects of hypnosis may energise a lethargic depressive sufficiently to allow suicide
4. Thought disorders such as Schizophrenia and Delusional Disorder except if you have experience with these. While hypnosis cannot precipitate a psychosis, you may be incorporated into the person's thought disorder more readily

17. Phenomena & strategies facilitated & intensified by hypnosis
Increased temporary and post-hypnotic suggestibilty = less critical, evaluative thinking
Reduced awareness that improves classical conditioning. Easier to establish & more difficult to extinguish
Hallucinations that are more real and absorbing than ordinary imagination
Regression and revivification
Time distortion e.g. time contraction in medical procedures
Analgesia and anaesthesia
Dissociation (split self off from current reality)
A.N.S. control e.g. changing blood flow
Arousal modulation (within limits) for the demoralised or the distressed to focus therapy attention

18. Phenomena & strategies facilitated & intensified by hypnosis
Imaginal conditioning
Revivification and (cognitive) restructuring
Exposure therapy/ extinction/ abreaction
Imaginal rehearsal
Relaxation / arousal reduction
Suggestion: e.g. for ego-strengthening and altering pain sensation, enhancing performance
Simple encouragement and support

19. Areas of application Medical Asthma Burns Minor Surgical Procedures
Enuresis
Hypertension
Childbirth
Migraine
Minor Surgical Procedures
Obesity
Pain Control
Gastro-intestinal Disorders
Warts

20. Areas of application Psychological Practice & Psychiatry Anxieties
Apathy and lack of Motivation
Confidence Problems
Eating Disorders
Depression
Nail-biting
Fears and Phobias
Psychosomatic Syndromes
Panic Attacks
Sleep Disorders
Sexual Dysfunction
Thumb-sucking
Stuttering

21. Areas of application Dentistry Anaesthesia Anxiety / Apprehension
Bleeding Control
Bruxism
Dental Phobia
Denture Problems
Gagging
Nausea
Pain-control
Restlessness
Salivation-control
Tempro-mandibular Joint Dysfunction

22. Areas of application Education Concentration and Attention problems
Exam Fears/Phobias
Motivation training
Memory Training
Study habit problems
Sports
Attitude Change
Confidence Building
Co-ordinate Mind & Body
Fear of Success
Fear of Failure
Maximise Potential
Improve Concentration
Performance Anxiety
Motivation Training control

23. Procedural Stages of Hypnotherapy
1. Preparation (e.g. removing misconceptions, assess interests that may be incorporated in procedure)
2. Assessment of hypnotisability (capacity for concentration and imagery, suggestibility)
3. Induction procedure
4. Deepening stage
5. Trance ratification
6. Utilisation of trance for therapeutic purposes
7. Post-hypnotic suggestions including self-
hypnosis instructions
8. Termination of the trance
9. Discussion of the experience. Problems?

24. Pain-related Case Discussions
Cervico-genic headaches in 37 yr old female from m.v.a. at age 17
Mx of pain of burns bath treatment in 10 yr old male
Mx of chronic (2yrs +) hyperemesis in 33 yr old female

25. Resources + Pre-/post- session reading
Vision and transcript. Hypnosis for pain at 19 minute mark
Australian Society of Hypnosis
Hypnosis.com – the FAQ section is excellent
This presentation
Extra reading presented via JCU network