Medical Hypnosis

The pioneers of hypnosis were all doctor not promoters! Surprising isn’t it? Why were the pioneers and researchers doctors? Because in the 1800’s the actual fatality rate for surgery was close to 55%. Why was this? This high fatality rate was because patients inadvertently received too much laudanum, chloroform or ether. Why was this? It was because the blood pressure cuff didn’t come into use until 1901. By the way… no one ever died from hypnosis and no one ever was harmed by hypnosis.

Hypnosis roots are traced back to the study and practice of medicine in the 1700s and 1800s.   Dr. John Elliotson (1791-1868), professor of surgery at University College in London, used hypnosis to perform over 1,834 painless surgeries. Dr. James Esdalie (1808-1859) performed over 300 major surgeries including 19 amputations using hypnosis as the sole anesthetic. Dr. James Braid, a surgeon and therapist first coined the word hypnosis. All of the early hypnosis practitioners were doctors. But promoters perverted hypnosis by using it in stage and carnival shows. When these charlatans and promoters began using hypnosis in medicine shows, many doctors disassociated themselves from hypnosis. 

The uses for hypnosis in medicine are almost too numerous to name. Remember that’s how hypnosis for medical protocols started in the 1800’s! Hypnosis is effective in alleviating the nausea and the fatigue experienced from undergoing chemotherapy. Hypnosis won’t cure an impacted wisdom tooth, but dentists utilize it to perform root canals painlessly.

We’re not advancing hypnosis as a cure for organic conditions such as diverticulitis, but 85% of those diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or Crohn’s Disease, experienced dramatic improvement in their condition and in most instances became asymptomatic when hypnosis was used as the therapy.

Many complaints and symptoms, if not of a completely emotional nature, one’s emotions are a significant component.  Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue are examples of other syndromes that respond to very well to hypnosis. Hypnosis is quite successful when utilized for painless childbirth.

The misrepresentation and portrayal of hypnosis continued in the Lon Chaney and Bella Lagosa movies where one is purported to be under the control of “the evil professor!” Remember that no one… no one can be hypnotized against their will. No one! And… and no one can be hypnotized into doing something that they don’t want to do.

In1958, the American Medical Association recognized hypnosis as a viable and effective therapy. That was followed a year later when the British Medical Association followed suit.

Why is hypnosis effective for so many ailments including IBS, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pain, dentistry, and the side effects of chemotherapy? It’s because the body’s healing and pain mitigation process take place in an area of the subconscious mind, just as digestion does. You eat a meal – and the body digests it without any cues from you! You get a cut – and the body heals that cut without any cues from you! You break an arm – and again without any cues from you the body heals the arm! The subconscious mind is quite capable of healing the body, and hypnosis enhances that process!

Some of the medical issues that respond to hypnosis are:

• Crohn’s Disease
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• Migraine Headaches
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Habit Cough
• Conversion disorder
• Insomnia
• Pain Mitigation

If you or a loved one are suffering from chronic pain or a syndrome, call Dr. Bob Crow at 404.277.1827 for a complimentary consultation.