Research into the use of hypnotherapy

Hypnosis for eating disorders

Various workers (Crasilneck and Hall; Gross; Thakur) have demonstrated hypnosis being very successfully used in the treatment of both bulimia and anorexia. In one study of anorexia, Nash and Baker found 53% of patients improving without hypnosis, and 76% improving with hypnosis.

Hypnosis for weight management and general therapy

In a study-of-studies, Kirsch, Montgomery, and Sapirstein analysed cognitive-behavioural therapy (for all sorts of issues) with and without additional hypnosis. The addition of hypnosis substantially improved results in at least 70% of clients. Effects seemed particularly pronounced for treatment of obesity: clients who had received hypnosis continued to lose weight after the treatment ended. These results were particularly striking because of the few procedural differences between the hypnotic and non-hypnotic treatments.

Hypnosis for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

At Manchester University, Whorwell's group have found long-term follow-up rates of 95% success with classical, refractory IBS cases who had previously failed with an average of six types of treatment. Certain atypical patients had a wide range of lower rates, but classic-form IBS in patients under 50 had a 100% success. [Prior, Colgan, Whorwell 1990; Whorwell, Prior and Faragher, 1984; Whorwell, Prior and Colgan 1987; Whorwell 2004]

Hypnosis for relapse prevention in duodenal ulcer

In a careful study, Colgan, Faraher and Whorwell studied patients who have received medication until their duodenal ulcers had healed. Those who received no hypnosis have a 100% relapse rate, but those who received hypnotherapy had only a 53% relapse rate.

Hypnosis for pain relief

In a study-of-studies, Malone and Strube found that hypnosis and autogenic training (a German system of structured self-hypnosis) was by far the most effective non-chemical treatment for pain, more effective than biofeedback, cognitive therapy, relaxation, operant behaviour methods, TENS units, and even more effective than a package of several of these. Pain relief, unlike most issues, depends on the natural suggestibility of the patient. Individuals with low hypnotisability find different pain relief methods much the same. But Stern, Brown, Ulett and Sletten found that highly hypnotizable people can find hypnosis even more effective than morphine.

A study by Gaal, Goldsmith and Needs found that with hypnosis, children needed only one-fifth of the usual amount of pain medication after an operation.

Hypnosis for recovery from operations

Quite brief hypnosis (30 - 60 minutes) by the anaesthetist before an operation can notably improve recovery afterwards. Disbrow, Bennet and Owings made suggestions of early return to normal bowel movements and reduced hospital stay so much that an average saving of $1200 per patient was made.

Hypnosis for anaesthesia

While not everyone can, or would ever need to, achieve complete anaesthesia through hypnosis, for those who are so able, the results are spectacular. In the 1840s, just before the discovery of ether as a chemical anaesthetic, the British surgeon James Esdaile was working in India. At a time when surgery was still a terrifying torture, he carried out many dozens of major operations using no other pain relief than hypnosis. Not only were his patients pain-free, there was an unexpected bonus. At a time when perhaps 50% of patients would die from post-operative infection, 95% of Esdaile's patients lived. And these were major operations!

Hypnosis for control of bleeding

In a controlled study of tooth extraction, Chaves, Whilden and Roller found 65% reduction in bleeding with hypnosis.

Hypnosis for childbirth

Jenkins and Pritchard found the duration of childbirth reduced by 2 to 4 hours, with significantly less pain medication required. Zimmer, Perets, Eyal and Fuchs found that mothers who used hypnosis for anxiety and stress management had fetuses who moved in a much more active manner than otherwise.

Weight Loss Research

As of December, 2004 there were more than 5,000 clinical research studies having to do with hypnosis and its benefits currently being conducted worldwide according to the National Centre for Biotechnology Information

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (1996) Research into cognitive-behavioral weight loss treatments established that weight loss is greater where hypnosis is utilized. It was also established that the benefits of hypnosis increase over time.

Kirsch, Irving (1996). Hypnotic enhancement of cognitive-behavioural weight loss treatments--Another meta-reanalysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64 (3), 517-519. Study of the effect of adding hypnosis to cognitive- behavioural treatments for weight reduction, additional data were obtained from authors of 2 studies. Averaged across post treatment and follow-up assessment periods, the mean weight loss was 6.00 lbs. without hypnosis and 11.83 lbs. with hypnosis. At the last assessment period, the mean weight loss was 6.03 lbs. without hypnosis and 14.88 lbs. with hypnosis. Analyses indicated that the benefits of hypnosis increased substantially over time.

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (1986) A study of 60 females who were at least 20% overweight and not involved in other treatment showed hypnosis is an effective way to lose weight.

Cochrane, Gordon; Friesen, J. (1986). Hypnotherapy in weight loss treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54, 489-492.

Investigated the effects of hypnosis in weight loss for 60 females, at least 20% overweight and not involved in other treatment. Six client variables (suggestibility, self-concept, quality of family origin, age of obesity onset, education level, and socioeconomic status) and a process variable of representational systems were analyzed in relation to weight loss. Treatment included group hypnosis with metaphors for ego- strengthening, decision making and motivation, ideomotor exploration in individual hypnosis, and group hypnosis with maintenance suggestions. There were two experimental groups (hypnosis with and without audiotapes) and a control group, assessed immediately after treatment and at 6-month follow-up. Hypnotisability, use of audiotapes, and the other five variables were not predictive of weight loss. But, hypnosis was more effective than a control group (17 vs. .5 pounds on follow-up).

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (1985) 109 people completed a behavioural treatment for weight management either with or without the addition of hypnosis. At the end of the 9-week program, both interventions resulted in significant weight reduction. At 8-month and 2-year follow-ups, the hypnosis subjects were found to have continued to lose significant weight, while those in the behavioural-treatment-only group showed little further change.

Warts Research

According to available research papers, Hypnotherapy seems to be the most effective alternative treatment of warts. There are several published, controlled studies of the use of hypnosis to cure warts that have shown cure rates as high as 80%.

Hypnotherapy & Bulimia

Hypnotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapies are commonly used to help treat bulimia nervosa, the eating disorder, and may achieve quicker results than the more traditional therapies, according to Australian researchers.

78 bulimia patients participated in the study which took place over eight weeks. Their results were compared with those on a waiting list who had not received any treatment at all.

The two treatments were found to be equally beneficial, and the data showed significant improvements in the participants in the treatment groups which were not seen in the patients who were on the waiting list and had received no treatment of any kind.

Both the hypnotherapy and the cognitive behavioral groups had similar low levels of bingeing or purging after the treatment ended. Interestingly, the effects were similar to those achieved by therapeutic approaches, which usually take much longer.

Griffiths RA, et al. Eur Eating Disord Rv, 1994; 2:202-20

Eczema Research

Both acupuncture and hypnotherapy have been shown to influence allergic responses which can cause eczema as well as alleviate the typical symptoms (itching, irritation and general discomfort. A report in the British Medical Journal as far back as 1963 revealed that hypnosis could prevent hypersensitive skin reactions to allergens and thereby prevent inflammation and irritation.

A report of the Royal College of Physicians Committee on Clinical Immunology and Allergy in 1992 acknowledged that acupuncture and hypnotherapy have a .role to play. in the treatment of allergy-induced eczema. This is particularly significant bearing in mind that Studies conducted at the Department of Paediatrics, St Goran.s Children.s Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden have demonstrated that an allergy to a specific yeast (P. orbiculare) plays an important pathogenic role in many cases of eczema

Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy & Ankylosing Spondylitis

All physical diseases including cancer, heart disease and even skin complaints have been helped with Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy. The power of suggestion and mental imagery is a tool all too often overlooked but which can be of immense help to Ankylosing Spondylitis sufferers. Remember also that Ankylosing Spondylitis is a stress related disease and Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy are both excellent aids to help control emotional stress.

There has been at least one study involving hypnotherapy and arthritis. In one instance reported levels of pain, anxiety, and depression, and plasma levels of beta-endorphin, epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin were measured in 19 arthritic pain patients before and after hypnosis. Correlations were found between levels of pain, anxiety, and depression and following hypnotherapy, there were clinically and statistically significant decreases in pain, anxiety, and depression and increases in beta-endorphin-like immunoreactive material. This reveals that hypnotherapy may well play an important role in conquering the painful symptoms associated with Ankylosing Spondylitis.

One dramatic case was reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association of a 10 year old girl diagnosed as having juvenile rheumatoid arthritis which had responded minimally to large doses of aspirin and physical therapy over a period of 7 weeks. The doctors decided to try hypnotherapy and 4 hours after her second session, the girl was able to ride her bicycle and was free from any pain. Two further reinforcing sessions were given and the girl remained well for the three years to the time of the report.