Medical
Hypnosis & Cancer
Hypnosis a Powerful Tool in Complementary Cancer Care
Complementary therapies, while not given the attention that more traditional cancer therapies may receive, are perhaps equally important while undergoing treatment for certain types of cancer. Patients diagnosed with difficult to treat malignancies will often use these types of therapies in conjunction with traditional surgical, chemotherapeutic, or radiology techniques to form a more comprehensive and effective treatment regimen. Among the most important and effective alternative therapies utilized by those diagnosed with cancer is hypnotherapy.
Hypnotherapy has been used for many years in clinical settings. Hypnotherapy’s role in cancer management however, is relatively new and indications are that its utilization has not been fully maximized yet. Effective cancer treatment often depends on the patient’s ability to not only defeat the cancer through treatments but also to maintain their health and mental spirit throughout the painful side effects of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation.
Often, the symptoms and effects of the cancer itself on the body are negligible compared to the pain and other side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. This is where acupuncture has been said to be most effective. Cancers such as mesothelioma, which are often unable to be removed by surgical means, are often treated with some combination of chemotherapy and radiation. While these potent therapies can be effective in eliminating some of the tumor mass and growth, they also profoundly affect the health of the surrounding tissue. Symptoms of these effects including fever, nausea, and general pain have been dramatically reduced through the utilization of hypnosis. Patients, who are able to withstand these symptoms and recover quickly, will often be able to be more aggressively treated, increasing the efficacy of the treatment regimen as a whole. Some specific hypnotherapy techniques utilized in pain management include altering the neurophysical configuration of pain, control of anticipatory anxiety, and targeted imagery.
Hypnotherapy techniques may not be appropriate for all patient’s pain and individual symptoms but it’s certainly worth exploring as it can do very little harm in experimenting with integrative therapies. The goal with alternative therapies, as with traditional mesothelioma treatments, is always to increase the effectiveness of treatment as a whole. If hypnotherapy can assist in any way in helping patients recover or manage symptoms of chemotherapy or radiation, then it will have contributed to the treatment regimens overall efficacy and should certainly be utilized.
References Erickson MH: Hypnosis in painful terminal illness, in Haley J (ed): Advanced Techniques of Hypnosis and Therapy: Selected Papers of Milton Erickson, MD. New York, Crune & Stratton, 1967.
Sunnen, Gerard M.D. , Hypnotic Approaches in the Cancer PatientOzonics International, LLC
www.mesothelioma.com
I am proud to provide hypnosis services to those with mesothelioma cancer. Initial studies have shown hypnosis to be extremely beneficial for cancer patients and loved ones who battle anxiety, difficulty sleeping, and other secondary symptoms associated with traditional cancer treatments. Aggressive cancers like mesothelioma can have harmful side effects associated with radiation and chemotherapy regimens. Hypnosis has been shown to demonstrate improved capacity to manage these symptoms in mesothelioma patients as well as that of other types of cancer.
Hypnosis Use in Surgery
There are many benefits to using hypnosis in pre-surgical and post-operative. Psychologically there is anxiety and stress before surgery that can be limited as well as depression that often follows these procedures, as patients often feel disfigured or not quite the same (self image). Hypnosis or deep relaxation can be the means to achieve better surgical results and alleviates concerns and accelerates the healing process.
These are just some of the therapeutic benefit of hypnosis.
In fact, hypnosis is most perceived as some sort of hoax or scam. But it is really a well-rehearsed and synchronized practice that can give you the feeling of having control of one self and in no way is the patient's health compromised. Hypnotherapy, under this circumstance, then becomes an integral and necessary part of a persons pre-operative and post-operative care.
A patient can have a tape to assist with their surgical care. This program will induce the trance and then deepen it in a standard fashion. At the end, they will be brought out of their trance. It will be the meat of the tape, or the suggestions, that will make this program unique.
For instance, a patient can be told that they do not need to bleed or swell. They will not be distracted during the procedure. They will not feel pain during or after the procedure and thus will require less anesthesias. They will not feel nausea and will resume all body functions with ease after the procedure. They will feel great after their procedure and heal quickly without discomfort. They will even enjoy their post-operative image and see it as - a necessary part of their healing process.
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