Hypnosis Audio Tapes Heal Chronic Nerve Pain

To live well with chronic pain, it is important to address not only pain intensity but also affective (emotional suffering), cognitive (catastrophizing beliefs about pain), and behavioral (inactivity) factors that contribute to the overall experience (Dillworth et al., 2012). Unlike medication, hypnotherapy not only targets pain, but also effectively targets the affective, cognitive and behavioral areas. Unsurprisingly, in many cases hypnotherapy has been found to be more effective than medication in reducing chronic pain. In the case of a 67-year old male with severe diabetic neuropathy taking an array of medications including opioids, ketamine, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants and antidepressants - his pain remained so severe that he tried to commit suicide, and begged doctors to remove his leg. However, after only eight weeks with one 90-minute hypnosis session, and daily self-hypnosis, his reported pain significantly decreased, his quality of life improved, and he even stopped using his cane (McKittrick et al., 2020).

McKittrick, M. L., Walters, J. L., Finn, M. T. M., & McKernan, L. C. (2020). Hypnosis for refractory severe neuropathic pain: A case study. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 63(1), 28–35. https://doi.org/10.1080/00029157.2020.1742087