The Role of Hypnosis in Cancer Care: Overcoming
Misconceptions to Participate in Evidence-Based Upkeep
Thru: Eugene Ahn, MD,
Linda Carlson, PhD and Lorenzo Cohen, PhD
This blog post derives towards us from the Integrative
Oncology Society website There is a strong evidence base supporting the use of
hypnosis to reduce distress, anxiety, nausea, pain, and other symptoms during
invasive medical procedures and reduce medical costs. However, the
misconceptions associated with the practice of hypnosis have partial its
integration into cancer maintenance.
Earlier this year, the critically acclaimed film Grow Out
(99% on Rotten Tomatoes) grossed at the box office, gaining audiences with its
mix of dark humor,
horror, and social
commentary. One of the twists and turns (SPOILER ALERT) involves a psychiatrist
using hypnosis to "control the mind" of his guests. By patting his
cup of tea, he can lull his clients into submission. For those who practice or
have practiced hypnosis, this description of hypnosis is inaccurate and
frustrating, requiring a suspension of disbelief, as those familiar with hypnosis
realize that a client cannot be forced to do something that does not want to
do. However, it is the misunderstanding and fear of loss of control that
hypnosis entails today.
Before we delve into the research on hypnosis in
oncology,
let's first clarify
the definition of hypnosis. Hypnosis is the procedure by which a person enters
an altered state of consciousness that results in increased suggestion. Another
term for this state of consciousness is "trance" and it can be
differentiated from other states of consciousness such as wakefulness, sleep,
sleep or relaxation by an electroencephalogram (EEG), the electrical
measurement of brain waves.
Hypnosis is an ancient practice and is mentioned in Hindu
texts as "
dream in the temple" and by Avicenna (980-1037 AD), who
wrote in The Book of Healing about the distinction between sleep and hypnosis.
Despite its long history, hypnosis has experienced memorable periods of stigma.
One of the historical figures of lightning rod hypnosis was Franz Anton Mesmer
(1734-1815) who theorized that the benefits of the hypnotic suggestions he saw
in his practice were due to "animal magnetism." He was particularly
known for curing "hysterical conditions" or what we now call
psychosomatic illness. In fact, the least used synonym for hypnosis (due to its
association with magnetism), "mesmerism", comes from his work.
But over the past 15 years, various research groups have
examined the impact of hypnosis on the outcome of various patients during
various medical procedures,
including surgery1-3.
Hypnosis in these studies involved bringing surgical patients into a hypnotic
state through deep breathing, guided imagery, and an emphasis on a floating
sensation. In various surgical populations, patients induced to hypnotic
relaxation during their procedure report significantly less anxiety and pain
and require less analgesic medication than controls1,3. In addition, patients
are more cooperative with providers and spend less time in the operating
room5,6, which has resulted in reduced costs associated with medical
procedures6,7 or, in the case of breast biopsy, cost neutral even with breast
biopsy. adding additional members. personnel performing the intervention 8.
These studies have also shown beneficial physiological responses to self-hypnosis,
including decreased heart rate, decreased blood pressure, and decreased
cortisol8,9. In addition to the above benefits, hypnosis has always been shown
to not increase the side effects or complications of medical procedures,
as long as staff
simply "be nice" or "empathetic" as the controlling arm. In
several studies, hypnosis it actually increased side effects and complications.
10
Most studies have been done before invasive surgical
procedures, such as breast cancer surgery, where patients are under general
anesthesia, or during less invasive procedures, where patients are conscious,
such as a breast biopsy or biopsy. of bone marrow in children. For example,
Montgomery et al.11 found in a mixed population of women subjected to hypnosis
during biopsy or before lumpectomy surgery that group hy
