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John Hopkins University
Issue: October 2007
The Online Magazine of
Hypnosis Reduces Pain and Costs in Breast Cancer Surgery
"The use of hypnosis prior to breast cancer
surgery reduced the amount of anesthesia administered during the operation, the
level of pain reported afterwards, and the time and cost of the procedure,
according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute."
Hypnosis Comparisions in
"Psychotherapy" Magazine
Alfred A. Barrios, PhD., in "Psychotherapy" magazine
(volume 7, Number 1), compared various techniques for psychologically
based change. The techniques that proved to generate the greatest success in
providing lasting change were as follows:
Hypnosis -- 93% recovery after 6 sessions
(approx. 1 1/2 months @ 1 session per week).
Behavior Therapy -- 72% after 22 sessions
(approx. 6 months @ 1 session per
week).
Psychotherapy -- 38% recovery after 600
sessions (approx. 11 1/2
yrs @ 1 session per week).
Hypnosis Doubles Weight Loss
Researchers from the University of Connecticut at
Storrs ran a third meta-analysis of the effect of
adding hypnosis to a behavioral program for weight reduction. They collected
data from 2 more
studies, and corrected for computational inaccuracies in the 2 previous
meta-analyses.
Averaged across post-treatment and follow-up assessment periods from all the
studies, the mean
weight loss was 6.00 lbs. (2.72 kg) without hypnosis and 11.83 lbs. (5.37 kg)
with hypnosis.
The mean effect size of this difference was 0.66 SD (standard deviations)
Correlational analyses
indicated that the benefits of hypnosis increased substantially over time (r =
.74).
Citation: Kirsch I. Hypnotic enhancement of
cognitive-behavioral weight loss treatments--another meta-reanalysis. Journal of
Consulting Clinical Psychology. 1996 Jun; 64(3): pages 517-519.
Hypnosis Helps Women Cope With Breast Biopsy
Science News
"This research embraces a holistic approach
combining 'high-tech' with 'high-touch' that respects the needs of women during
the stressful times of breast biopsy," Dr. Lang said. She added that this method
has been successfully applied to a number of other" interventional procedures.
Effects of Hypnosis on the Immune
System
"Ohio State University College of Medicine analyzed the effects of
hypnotic-relaxation training on cellular immune function during a stressful
event. Control subjects showed stress-related decreases in immune cell
proliferative responses to two mitogens and percentages of CD3+ and CD4+
T-lymphocytes and interleukin-1 production by peripheral blood leukocytes.
Subjects who underwent hypnosis-relaxation were, on average, protected from
these immunological changes . More frequent hypnotic-relaxation practice
resulted in higher percentages of CD3+ and CD4+ T-lymphocytes."
Conclusion: The results provide encouraging evidence that hypnosis- relaxation
can reduce detrimental immune function changes associated with acute stress .
References
- Kiecolt-Glaser JK et al. Hypnosis as a modulator of cellular immune
dysregulation during acute stress. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
69 (4): 674-82. Aug 2001.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Whorwell PJ; Prior A; Faragher EB. Controlled trial of hypnotherapy in the
treatment of severe refractory irritable-bowel syndrome.The Lancet 1984, 2:
1232-4. This study is the earliest and perhaps the best study in this research
area to date, as it was thoroughly placebo-controlled and showed dramatic
contrast in response to hypnosis treatment above the placebo group. Thirty
patients with severe symptoms unresponsive to other treatment were randomly
chosen to receive 7 sessions of hypnotherapy (15 patients) or 7 sessions of
psychotherapy plus placebo pills (15 patients). The psychotherapy group
showed a small but significant improvement in abdominal pain and distension, and
in general well-being but not bowel activity pattern. The hypnotherapy patients
showed a dramatic improvement in all central symptom. The hypnotherapy group
showed no relapses during the 3-month follow-up period.
Pilot evaluation of hypnosis for the
treatment of hot flashes in breast cancer survivors.
Psychooncology. 2007; 16(5):487-92 (ISSN:
1057-9249)
"...This single arm, pilot study investigated the use of
hypnosis to reduce hot flashes in 16 breast cancer survivors."
Hypnosis for Pain Management in the Older Adult
Norma G. Cuellar, DSN, RN Pain Manag Nurs. 2005;6(3):105-111.
©2005 W.B. Saunders
Posted 10/21/2005
Comparative efficacy studies have demonstrated that
hypnosis is often more effective than biofeedback, relaxation, cognitive
behavioral therapy, acupuncture, or morphine for both acute and chronic pain
with 75% of those who use hypnosis experiencing some relief of pain (Patterson &
Jensen, 2003). Hypnotic techniques have proven useful for pain associated with
burns, cancer, invasive medical procedures, headaches, musculoskeletal
conditions, irritable bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia (Haanen et al., 1991;
Lynch, 1999; Montgomery et al., 2000). Hypnosis has demonstrated particular
utility for reducing cancer pain, including bone marrow transplant pain and
coping with invasive procedures associated with cancer treatment (Ernst, 2001;
Handel, 2001; Lynch, 1999; Marchioro et al., 2000; Pattison, 1997; Renouf,
1998).
Hypnosis Treats Unexplained Chest Pain 
"...Fifteen patients received 12 sessions of hypnotherapy
over 17 weeks, while 13 others got supportive therapy with no hypnosis. A total
of 80% of the hypnosis patients reported significant pain relief following
treatment, compared with 23% of the supportive-care patients."
Review of the
efficacy of clinical hypnosis
with headaches and migraines.
Int J Clin Exp
Hypn. 2007; 55(2):207-19 (ISSN:
0020-7144)
"The
12-member National Institute of Health Technology
Assessment Panel on Integration of Behavioral and
Relaxation Approaches into the Treatment of Chronic Pain
and Insomnia (1996) reviewed outcome studies on hypnosis
with cancer pain and concluded that research evidence
was strong and that other evidence suggested hypnosis
may be effective with some chronic pain, including
tension headaches."
Hypnosis and cognitive-behavioral
therapy during breast cancer radiotherapy: a case
report.
Am J Clin Hypn. 2008; 50(3):209-15 (ISSN:
0002-9157)
"Results were consistent with the view that CBTH (Hypnotherapay) was
effective in managing fatigue and skin discomfort, and increasing relaxation."
A randomized clinical trial of a
brief hypnosis intervention to control side effects in
breast surgery patients.
J Natl Cancer Inst. 2007; 99(17):1304-12 (ISSN:
1460-2105)
"CONCLUSIONS: Hypnosis was superior to attention control regarding propofol
and lidocaine use; pain, nausea, fatigue, discomfort, and emotional upset at
discharge; and institutional cost. Overall, the present data support the use of
hypnosis with breast cancer surgery patients."
[Hypnosis for rehabilitation of
immunological status in neoplasia]
Vopr
Onkol. 2007; 53(6):699-703 (ISSN: 0507-3758)
"Our results support evidence available on the potential of hypnosis for
cancer patient immunity and point for the first time to feasibility of
differentiated targeting specific links of the immune system."
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