Managing Pain: Make a Lasting Change

I'm having surgery soon. I'm worried about the pain afterwards.

My body still hurts from the car accident I had months ago.

Headaches put me in a dark room for hours. I need some help!

My emotions get out of whack when I'm in pain. I don't like the way I get.

People often think I'm mad at them when I speak, but it's only the pain.

Is pain really necessary?

Pain is a sign that something is wrong somewhere in the body or the mind. It is a clue that something needs attention. Ignoring pain does not make it go away.

Some pain is brief: bumping your shin on a table in the dark hurts, but usually the pain goes away in a relatively short time. Other pain is more persistent: a migraine headache or a strained muscle that doesn't heal quickly.

Still other pain, associated with surgery or other medical treatment or the long-term consequences of illness, can be extensive and long-lasting. The pain may never completely disappear, but is of greater or lesser strength.

What kind of help can hypnosis provide in managing pain?

Hypnosis can help you deal with the fear of pain as well as the pain itself. With guided imagery and relaxation techniques, you can learn to manage pain in a new way. Working with your hypnotherapist, you can gain the skills to control your own responses to pain when it occurs.

Can I use hypnosis when I'm under medical care?

Your hypnotherapist will want to be in contact with the appropriate physician while you are receiving care. As partners, they can better provide for your needs. The physician may have access to information that will be helpful to the hypnotherapist. No one wants to treat a headache only to find out there was a more serious problem later! Talk with your physician about using hypnosis.

I'm frustrated by the different diagnoses I get. No one knows what's wrong.

Not knowing what is wrong can make a person fearful. Different opinions, endless tests, one more blood draw: all of these can make a person resistant to any new thing. Hypnosis can help an individual deal with the uncertainty that comes with not knowing the cause of the pain. It can also help to deal with guilt, anger, or other emotional fallout when an accident is the source of the pain.

Sometimes I think I'm just in love with the pain. Who would I be without it?

Even though pain is uncomfortable, for some people it is proof of being alive. At least there still some kind of feeling, no matter how negative. Hypnosis can help in these situations to diminish the pain to tolerable levels. A person can even learn to turn the pain off. Once that kind of control is experienced, there is more freedom in living a more normal life where pain may be present, but is no longer the sole focus of one's existence. Hypnosis is a valuable tool in modifying how we think and short-circuiting the patterns that can get us stuck.

What other help can hypnosis offer?

Several sessions with a hypnotherapist will help you to identify your specific area of need. Learning the cause of an unknown pain can lead to understanding and relief. Your therapist may teach you several different methods that you can use on your own to manage your pain. You may also benefit from a tape designed specifically for your use. Talk with your hypnotherapist about the options available.

"Within a month I was free from pain and felt an exuberance and excitement about life." (Educator)