Hypnosis:  A substitute for Valium?

Dec 2004

Hypnosis has long been known for it's ability to decrease the sensation of pain and was used by Dr James Esdaile back in the 19th century to perform surgical operations, dramatically reducing the mortality rates in the hospital where he was employed.

With the discovery of ether and other analgesics hypnosis was abandoned because of the time taken produce the desired effect.  Money was invested in drugs instead of using nature's natural remedy to counteract painful sensations.

A recent study of 80 cancer patients aged between 6 and 16 established that patients receiving hypnosis from a therapist reported less pain, anxiety and distress than others who received only standard hospital care whilst undergoing painful spinal cord punctures.

An earlier review that was published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics in June 2004 concluded that there was enough positive evidence to warrant larger scale investigations of the use of hypnosis in children with cancer.

In a small trial of adult patients undergoing angioplasty, an invasive heart procedure, it was also found that the sedative effect of hypnosis was slightly better than that of the drug diazepam (Valium).  This finding is supported by other clinical trials whereby hypnosis has enabled adult patients to gain control over other forms of pain such as that associated with gastrointestinal problems, accelerated healing of bone fractures and surgical wounds, skin problems and weight control.

The latest guidelines from the U.S. Headache Consortium, a coalition of seven medical groups, include hypnosis among the non-drug measures most proven to help prevent headaches.