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Pain perception has two
parts: First, there is the sensation of something uncomfortable
happening to a specific part of your body. Second, there is your reaction
to this information. This is the "hurting" part; the part that signals
discomfort.
Acute or new pain serves
an important and useful function. It warns you that damage is being done
to your body. But, when pain becomes chronic and continues long
after it has done its job of giving warning, and long after the physical
problem has been medically treated, it is no longer needed as a warning!
Some slight discomfort may be
needed as a reminder not to overdo things or strain, but the pain is no
longer needed at the same degree of intensity or strength. The pain can
still remain as a reminder and be less intense and less uncomfortable.
This is where hypnosis comes in.
Hypnosis is a relaxed state
of attentive concentration that allows your conscious, critical mind
to rest temporarily so that you can be receptive to positive thoughts that
help you to feel more comfortable.
In this relaxed state of
attentive concentration, you are helped to use your own imagination to
change your experience in a way that is acceptable and desirable and
pleasant for you. So, with hypnosis, you gain more control over the pain
and gain more comfort.
Hypnosis is NOT sleep.
When you are in hypnosis, you are awake and alert, but you feel deeply and
pleasantly relaxed. And when you are deeply relaxed, you cannot feel
uncomfortable.
Hypnosis is also an excellent focusing mechanism -
helping you to focus away from discomfort and to re-focus on comfort.
My approach to Hypnosis for
pain control works in several ways:
1. When you are deeply relaxed
in hypnosis, you cannot be uncomfortable. That is because relaxation is
the opposite of discomfort.
2. When you are deeply relaxed,
you can filter out uncomfortable sensations and tune into the experience
of other more comfortable sensations.
3. When you are deeply relaxed
and comfortable, you cannot be angry, or anxious, or scared, or guilty or
depressed. So, hypnosis can reduce the emotional impact of chronic pain.
4. Because hypnosis is a state
of relaxed easy concentration, your imagination is working, and it is
focused and more powerful. Hypnosis is a focusing mechanism. Your
Unconscious Mind, your Inner Mind, is responsive to acceptable
suggestions, so you do not have to TRY to respond; it just happens ALL on
its own, just as pain happens all on its own. So, you can just permit
yourself to let go, and let some interesting and comfortable things
happen. In fact, there is a pleasant element of surprise in that you can
discover a pleasant difference in sensation in your body!
5. In hypnosis, somehow or
other, the doorway to your Unconscious Mind opens, so that, with your
permission, I can give your Unconscious Mind the information that it needs
to have to help you to become more comfortable, and to learn how to do
this on your own. This is what makes hypnosis such an excellent tool for
pain management, . . . . for relieving discomfort.
Hypnosis works best for
appropriately medically diagnosed physical pain. That means that we do
not want to use hypnosis to get rid of pain that signals that there is a
medical condition that needs to be fixed. We do not want to mask a
correctable medical problem. We do want to use hypnosis to get rid of all
unnecessary pain and discomfort that has been medically determined to be
unnecessary. Hypnosis is also effective with discomfort that has strong
psychological or emotional aspects.
My approach to using Hypnosis
for pain control and pain relief is initially to help you into a
pleasant and comfortable state of hypnosis and deep relaxation and teach
you an exercise in self-hypnosis and self-relaxation that will meet your
individual needs. Then, together, we can explore different methods of
coping with discomfort that can be helpful for you; self hypnotic coping
skills you can use on your own to feel more comfortable.
I have written about Pain
Management Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy in my books:
The benefits of my approach
to using Hypnosis for pain relief include:
- Building your inner
strength.
- Strengthening your coping
skills.
- Relieving tension and
stress.
- Sharpening your mind.
- Re-programming negative
ideas and suggestions in your Conscious and Subconscious Minds that had
been worsening your discomfort. The new, alternative ideas will help you
feel more comfortable and maintain your comfort on your own by listening
to your CD tape and practicing the exercises you will learn by working
with me.
- Helping you use your
creative imagination to get comfortable and get out of pain.
- Helping you resolve inner
conflicts and thus, reduce stress, tension and pain.
- Teaching you methods to
distract and distance yourself from the pain.
- Teaching you ways to alter
and transform the pain sensations.
- Helping you reduce the
"suffering component" of having chronic pain.
Remember, some pain may be
inevitable, but suffering is optional. Free yourself from pain now.
Call or
email me today.
Phone: 215-947-7867 (947-STOP)
For a printable version of this page,
click here
RELATED ARTICLES
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Chapter 1 of Dr. Eimer's Hypnotize
Yourself Out of Pain Now!
Clinical Applications of Hypnosis for
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Cognitive Therapy for Pain
Management Lecture
Distract Yourself From Pain
Hypnosis and Pain Management
Pain Management Psychotherapy: A
Practical Guide -- Book Review
Pain Matters: How Safe Are My Pills?
Stop Pain Fast with Self-Hypnosis -- Bottom Line Health Article
Strategies for Chronic Pain -- SHAPE
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