Chronic Pain Management

There are two types of pain.  The first is acute pain (often referred to as short term pain) which is usually the result of an illness or accident and often treated with pain killers.  Acute pain is our body’s way of telling us that something is wrong and letting us know that we need to take action…fast!

The second is chronic pain (long term pain) which is often more complex.  It may be a direct result of a medical condition, or there may not be any obvious cause. This doesn’t mean the pain isn’t real, it just makes treatment that much more complex.

Some illnesses and conditions are well known for causing pain. Some examples include:-

• Arthritis
• Cancer
• Cluster headaches and migraines
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
• Endometriosis
• Fibromyalgia
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Sciatica and back pain

It is essential that you have fully explored any health problem with your GP or specialist  before seeking help via hypnotherapy for chronic pain management.

When chronic pain is experienced, wherever it is, and medication is not as effective as it could be life can be a very dark and difficult place indeed.

Chronic pain is complicated and can be hard to treat. Often, a variety of approaches (both medical and complementary therapies such as hypnotherapy) are used to help reduce pain, improve independence and help deal with the emotional implications.

Stress and anxiety are common side effects of pain and can even make the sensation feel worse. Helping to reduce stress and change the thought patterns related to pain can make a huge difference to pain perception and because of this many people select hypnotherapy to help them.

How can hypnotherapy help with chronic pain management?

Hypnotherapy can be used to effectively turn down the intensity of the pain experienced to a more manageable level, increase relaxation and help the person to deal with their health to the best of their ability.  Treatment often requires dealing with anticipatory anxiety as well as the pain itself.  The treatment plan is personalised to each client and the therapy includes learning self-hypnosis to be able to regularly relax and manage pain effectively.

Very often, it is this combination of approaches that helps people with their chronic pain management. If you are considering hypnosis for pain management inform  your doctor and remember that it is a complementary therapy which is designed to be used in conjunction with traditional medicine.