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What is arthritis?
The word
literally means "inflammation of a joint." Aching
or pain in joints and connective tissues is the common hallmark
of arthritis. There are over one hundred different conditions
that fall under this category. It can occur in all ages, from
infancy on, and range from mild to severe.
What
does arthritis do to the body?
Arthritis
may begin with minor aches and pains, but it can also make
a person seriously ill, cause tremendous pain, lead to deformities
in the hands and feet, or even leave a person bedridden. With
proper treatment, including good medical help and proper self-care,
arthritis can be managed.
What
are the major kinds of arthritis?
Rheumatism:
unexplained aches and pains in joints and muscles.
Rheumatoid
arthritis: inflammatory and often chronic, it attacks
the joints primarily. It is generally the most serious because
it can destroy joints and carries a risk of crippling. It
flares up, settles down, flares up again.
Osteoarthritis:
degenerative joint disease mostly caused by wear and tear
as one grows older.
Others:
ankylosing spondylitis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE,
or lupus, for short), gout.
How
can hypnosis help the pain I experience?
Hypnosis
can help you to learn to manage your pain. It can keep you
motivated to do the exercises needed for flexibility and movement.
Hypnosis can support the nutrition that supplies what the
body needs for better defense. It can help you function for
longer periods of time without the discomfort you have experienced
in the past. The unconscious mind handles the automatic body
functions and hypnosis can encourage those systems to operate
at their best.
I'm
exhausted without enough sleep. Can hypnosis help me to sleep
better?
Sleep
deprivation is a common problem for people with chronic pain.
Hypnosis can help train your body to relax. You'll learn to
breathe more deeply. You can train your muscles, ligaments
and tendons to "let go" for awhile so you can go
to sleep more easily, and once asleep, sleep more soundly.
Hypnosis can also help you to go back to sleep if you are
awakened for any reason.
Sometimes
my arthritis weighs me down and I'm so discouraged that I
can't move. How can hypnosis help me?
A
chronic illness takes its toll not only on the body, but also
on the mind and spirit. Caring for the body is often such
a major task that the mind is overwhelmed. Anxiety, discouragement
and depression are common consequences of dealing with chronic
pain. Hypnosis can work to counteract the negativism and anxiety
that build up so easily. Working in a relaxed and receptive
state, the positive suggestions given in hypnosis can become
automatic in your thinking and doing.
Can
I use hypnosis and regular medical care together?
Yes.
Hypnotherapy does not take the place of qualified medical
care. Hypnotherapy can help alleviate painful symptoms and
help your body to work at its best.
"I
had such severe pain in my hips and legs, my back hurt so
badly I could hardly do my work. You gave me the first glimpse
of hope I'd had in a long time." (Educator) |
