Hypnosis & CBT for effective Pain Management
Pain is a symptom of something being wrong with the body and it’s a warning signal to stop certain physical movements or activities, or maybe an indication that medical attention should be sought. If you suffer from back or neck pain this could well be a sign that the activity you’re carrying out is unsuitable and is putting you at risk of further injury. Pain is therefore essential to allow us to flourish and survive and therefore in general terms, pain has a useful function.
It is important that before consulting a hypnotherapist in respect of pain management you should have already consulted a GP or a suitably qualified medical practitioner to ensure that the underlying cause of the pain and does not require medical treatment, or that no such treatment is possible, or that such treatment is either already being given and there is no objection to hypnotherapy for pain relief.
This is to protect you from the possibility of causing damage to your body by leaving underlying causes of pain untreated. Hypnotherapy generally treats the symptoms of pain but (except where stress and tension are major causes) doesn’t treat the causes.
Pain – Stress and Anxiety
Signals from the localised area of pain or injury have to reach the brain before the feeling of pain is registered. However, pain is NOT simply a physical sensation but arises from a combination of both psychological and physiological factors. Sufferers of chronic pain (back pain, for example) often report a worsening of symptoms at times of stress; individuals who were relatively unconcerned about, say, a minor injury will find that the sensations of pain increase when someone comments on it or asks how they are feeling, thereby drawing attention to it.
Chronic pain may in turn cause psychological problems for individuals who may feel that the discomfort and inability to function normally will never end. Hypnosis and CBT which includes learning how to do self hypnosis can offer relief.
Hypnotherapy for Pain Relief
Hypnosis to help pain works by altering the way the brain perceives pain. Hypnosis can train your mind to think differently about pain. You can be taught to focus your thoughts away from pain. There are many examples of people overcoming what would otherwise be unbearable pain because they focus their attention away from the pain and towards a more positive goal.
There are many other examples, too, demonstrating the power of the mind in respect of pain management. Hypnosis and hypnotherapy help you to learn to use your mind in the most effective way in order to deal with pain and discomfort. Also, because whilst you are in hypnosis you are very deeply relaxed, then where physical pain occurs as a result of stress and tension – headaches, migraines, some dental pain, and neck, shoulder and back pain – being in hypnosis also helps hugely with the underlying causes of pain, too.
Pain Management Programme usually takes 6 sessions.
CBT & Hypnotherapy
This method combines Cognitive Behavioural Techniques with hypnotherapy, which is a modern and extremely effective therapy that brings about positive and lasting changes. Using hypnosis, a safe and highly successful therapy, means that we are able to work with the CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) techniques at a deeper and more profound level, allowing us to directly influence emotions and behaviour. We are able to deal successfully with the irrational fears and negative thinking patterns that prevent you from getting the best out of your life. The hypnotic state makes us more responsive to positive suggestions and it allows us to use our imagination to bring about positive solutions.
Feeling better about yourself and leading a more fulfilled life by using hypnotherapy combined with tried and tested cognitive and behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques is a collaborative process to support you in how you manage your thoughts, feelings and behaviours.
Please note that it is often necessary to contact your GP or medical consultant, to get their agreement before we start work together for any physical conditions, such as weight management, pain control, sleep issues etc.