do you suffer from chronic pain?
As many as 50 million Americans are affected by chronic pain. The worst part is that many lack effective treatment options. This means more than just an occasional headache or sore throat.
Chronic pain, as defined by The American College of Rheumatology refers to pain occurring at least 4 days per week for at least 3 months. Unless you’ve suffered from the gnawing frequency of chronic pain, you probably can’t imagine what it’s like to live with it. As a clinical hypnotherapist, I’ve worked with pain management for over 10 years and seen a variety of forms. I’ve worked with migraine headaches, sore muscles and people recovering from broken bones. All receive my compassion, but none have touched me as much as the fibromyalgia sufferer. The affliction can be so intense as to render a person suicidal.
Fibromyalgia is considered a “syndrome”, a collection of symptoms. The condition is defined as such when there is pain at 11 or more of the 18 defined trigger points. It can range from severe discomfort to excruciating pain.
A woman with fibromyalgia once came to see me as a last ditch effort to help herself. (We’ll call her Lucy.) She’d been suffering with the condition for 13 years. Lucy minced no words when she told me that if hypnotherapy didn’t work, she was ready to kill herself. Believe me, as a hypnotherapist, let alone a human being, there’s nothing worse than having someone throw that one in your lap. I asked if she was immediately suicidal, in which case I was mandated to report. She said she was not. She signed an agreement to contact me if her thoughts went in that direction, and we began her treatment plan.
Have you ever heard ringing in your ears? Well, for 13 years, Lucy had not one, but two tones and they were driving her batty. This was to blame in part for her desire to end her life. After her first session, the first tone subsided. She had suffered for 13 years, and in 20 minutes, it was gone! It so encouraged her that Lucy completely forgot about her desire to die and she rejoined the world of the living. We worked together about six months before she felt well enough to continue healing on her own. Today she is married and lives on the beach. Lucy still suffers from bouts of fibromyalgia. But with self hypnosis for stress reduction, she’s doing a whole lot better.
I mentioned stress a moment ago. Both physical and psychological factors are believed to be involved in the development of chronic pain, and individual differences exist in pain sensitivity and tolerance, making treatment difficult. It used to be that treatment options for chronic pain included only analgesic drugs, antidepressant medications, and sometimes physical activity. But more and more, behavior modification, and hypnosis are sought as options. Some practitioners are focusing on treatment options that enhance mind-body awareness and control. I wish we could convince many conventional medical doctors of this. A huge percentage balk at these modalities.
Hypnosis is not routinely used in general treatment programs in the United States, but is garnering more attention is recent years, as scientists search for effective, holistic treatment options for chronic pain. Many small studies have shown that hypnosis can provide at least temporary pain relief, and may also lead to a reduction in pain over time. The approach of hypnosis to pain management can enhance quality of life and reduce disability related to chronic pain. For more information, please contact me at 661-373-7429.
*Judith Cassis, C.Ht. has designed Transformation 2010, a Complimentary 52 week coaching system that will provide you with weekly support in achieving your goals this year. You may access on Facebook, or email successmadesimple.jc@gmail.com.
