Korean J Pain.  2012 Apr;25(2):75-80. 10.3344/kjp.2012.25.2.75.

Use of Hypnosis in the Treatment of Pain

• Lee JS
• Pyun YD

• KMID: 1778989
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3344/kjp.2012.25.2.75

Abstract

Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness that comprises of heightened absorption in focal attention, dissociation of peripheral awareness, and enhanced responsiveness to social cues. Hypnosis has a long tradition of effectiveness in controlling somatic symptoms, such as pain. Pain, the most common symptom in clinical practice, is a multi-dimensional experience, which includes sensory-discriminative, affective-emotional, cognitive and behavioral components. There is a growing recognition for hypnosis and related techniques in pain management. Psychological approaches to pain control, such as hypnosis, can be highly effective analgesics, but are underused in Korea. In this article, we would like to review the basic concepts of hypnosis, the mechanism, and the outcome data of the analgesic effects of hypnosis, and also, its limitations.

Keyword

antinociception; hypnosis; hypnotherapy; pain

MeSH Terms

Absorption
Analgesics
Consciousness
Cues
Dissociative Disorders
Hypnosis
Korea
Pain Management
Analgesics

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