Info for Referring Health Professionals

Hypnodontics

Dentists were some of the foremost pioneers of medical uses of hypnotherapy, coining the term hypnodontics for this work. Hypnotherapy supports dental treatment in several ways. The most frequent uses are stress and anxiety reduction and pain reduction. Other ways hypnotherapy supports dental treatment include reduction of bruxism, thumb sucking and tongue thrusting, gagging, choking and excessive bleeding, as well as facilitating adjustment to prostheses and orthodontia (Cheek and Le Cron, 1968; Kroger, 1977; Rossi and Cheek, 1988; Clarke and Reynolds, 1991; Cheek, 1994; Barber, 1996; Patel et. al., 2000; Temes, 2000; Grant, 2003).

Hypnodontics supports a preventive dental approach by increasing patient willingness to seek dental care, thereby getting needed care earlier (minimizing deterioration of dental conditions, heading off more advanced dental problems, before pathological processes have gone too far) (Kroger, 1977; Patel et. al., 2000).

Hypnosis training can increase dental staff effectiveness. Staff can be quickly and easily trained to facilitate patient relaxation and comfort, as well as to help patients use imagery to reduce pain associated with dental treatment. Two one hour in service sessions can train staff in the basics of subconscious function/dynamics, hypnotic language, visualization and suggestion. Surgical and other staff can also be quickly trained in more advanced techniques, including patient communication and hypnosis for emergencies (Cheek and Le Cron, 1968; Kroger,1977; Jacobs, 1991; Patel et. al., 2000; Temes, 2000).

For patient information on hypnodontics, see Direct Behavioral Medicine Services/Hypnodontics (link).

Energy Medicine and Hypnotherapy

Clients seek energy work for a variety of reasons. Some simply want relief from the suffering of stress, tension and pain, while others are seeking deeper healing on physical, mental and emotional levels. Because body, mind, spirit and subtle energy are interconnected, energy work can be very useful to facilitate many types of healing (Krieger, 1979; Karagulla and Van Gelder Konz, 1989; LaTourelle and Courtenay,1993; Myss, 1997; Chopra, 2000; Hunt, 2000; Gerber, 2001; Hover-Kramer, 2002; Myss, 2002; Judith, 2003). This interconnection can easily result in the emergence of intense emotions during sessions, which can be important parts of the healing process. Sometimes, however, these reactions are intense and overwhelming, and may be beyond the training of the therapist to work with directly. There are even occasions when emotional reactions triggered during energy work sessions can continue for days, weeks or even months (Reich, 1972; Myss, 1997; Myss 2002; Ogden, 2003a). Additionally, many people are blocked energetically in order to keep emotional pain, depression, and anxiety out of conscious awareness. When people have not yet developed their resources enough, release of previously bound up energy can release a flood of emotion that clients are not able to cope with (Reich, 1972; Johnson, 1997; Johnson and Grand, 1998; Ogden, 2003a; Ogden 2003b). When clients are not able to cope with what comes up, they may decompensate or suffer some degree of Abreak down@. The nature of the reaction depends on the nature of the clients= emotional wounding (Lowen, 1972; Lowen, 1975; Keleman, 1981; Keleman, 1985) and character style (Reich, 1972; Boadella, 1973; Smith, 1985; Conger, 1994). This is particularly likely to occur with clients who have histories of trauma (Herman, 1997; Levine, 1997; Rothschild, 2000; Scaer, 2001). When clients are able to cope with emerging awareness, energy release facilitates growth and empowerment (Reich, 1972; Lowen, 1975; Keleman, 1981; Kepner, 1987; Kurtz, 1990; Johnson, 1992; Jonhson, 1994; Myss, 1997; Ogden, 2003a; Ogden 2003b). Hypnotherapy supports energy work by helping clients develop resources to cope with unresolved emotional wounding, depression, anxiety and trauma that may emerge during sessions.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture treatment is supported in all the ways other energy work is supported. However, there are additional ways acupuncture can be supported. One factor that can complicate acupuncture treatment occurs when people have irrational fears of needles. For some of these clients, the fear is so great that they never even experience acupuncture. For others, the fear results in increased tension and subsequently, increased pain from needles. The fear, tension and pain can limit the effectiveness of treatments (Eisenberg and Wright, 1995). Hypnotherapy is particularly effective in treating phobias and fears (Cheek and Le Cron, 1968; Kroger, 1977; Rossi and Cheek, 1988; Cheek, 1994), as well as in reducing pain from needles (Brigham Davis, 1994; Hilgard and Hilgard, 1994; Barber, 1996; Turk and Gatchel, 2002).

Manipulative Medicine/Bodywork and Hypnotherapy

Clients seek manipulative medicine and body work for healing, relief from pain, stress, and tension, increase of flexibility and comfort, and the nurturing of human contact. Because body, mind and spirit are interconnected, body work often facilitates emotional and even spiritual healing (Feldenkrais, 1981; Feldenkrais, 1985; Hannah, 1985; Montagu, 1986; Hannah, 1988; Johnson, 1992; Hannah, 1993; Johnson, 1994; Johnson, 1995). This interconnection can also result in the emergence of intense emotions during sessions. Emotional reactions are often transient and part of the process of healing. Sometimes, however, these reactions are intense and overwhelming, and may be beyond the training of the body worker to work with. There are even occasions when emotional reactions triggered during manipulation or body work sessions can continue for days, weeks or even months (Reich, 1972; Conger, 1994; Caldwell, 1997; Johnson, 1997; Johnson and Grand, 1998; Ogden, 2003a; Ogden 2003b). Additionally, muscle tension is often used to keep emotional pain, depression, and anxiety out of conscious awareness. Manipulation and body work can bring all of this and more into awareness. Because many people protect their inner emotional wounds and repress conscious awareness with muscle tension, release of the tension through hands on work can release a flood of emotion that clients are not able to cope with (Reich, 1972; Johnson, 1997; Johnson and Grand, 1998; Ogden, 2003a; Ogden 2003b). When clients are able to cope with emerging awareness, manipulation and body work facilitate growth and empowerment (Reich, 1972; Lowen, 1975; Keleman, 1981; Kepner, 1987; Kurtz, 1990; Johnson, 1992; Jonhson, 1994; Ogden, 2003a; Ogden 2003b). When clients are not able to cope with what comes up, they may decompensate or suffer some degree of Abreak down@. The nature of the reaction depends on the nature of the clients= emotional wounding (Lowen, 1972; Lowen, 1975; Keleman, 1981; Keleman, 1985; Dychtwald, 1986) and character style (Reich, 1972; Boadella, 1973; Smith, 1985; Conger, 1994). This is particularly likely to occur with clients who have histories of trauma (Herman, 1997; Levine, 1997; Rothschild, 2000; Scaer, 2001). Hypnotherapy supports manipulative medicine and body work by helping clients to heal unresolved emotional wounding, depression, anxiety and trauma.

Other Specific Situations Related to Manipulative Medicine and Bodywork

Hypnotherapy, as well as other body-mind approaches, can serve as an adjunct to structural/manual medicine and bodywork in several specific situations. Examples of such situations include

Adjustments not holding
Chronic muscle tightness persisting in spite of treatments, especially to a degree that seems out of proportion to the injury or event
Unresolved whiplash symptoms (after appropriate neurological consults have been obtained)
Continued muscle hyper-reactivity and hyper-sensitivity, resulting in inability to tolerate adjustments - beyond the time of expected soft tissue healing
Pain continuing in spite of structural correction and appropriate myofascial release
Persistent anxiety, fear or depressive reactions post-injury
Unexplained and/or uncharacteristic emotional lability persisting after injury
Symptoms of autonomic instability continuing in spite of structural correction and myofascial release (after neurological consult has been obtained)
Cognitive and attentional deficits from injuries involving velocities too low to cause brain injury
Repeated emotional reactions connected with physical treatment (that do not clear with emotionally cathartic experiences)
Poorly responsive Fibromyalgia symptoms