Pain
The Man Who Learned to Turn Down His Pain Like a Volume Dial
How Hypnosis Can Change the Brain’s Interpretation of Chronic Pain Years ago, a young man had surgery at Delnor Hospital for a shoulder that kept dislocating. Nothing unusual about that. What happened afterward was. Instead of depending heavily on pain medication after surgery, he came to our office to learn how to use self-hypnosis. Later, because…
Read MoreWhen Every Medical Test Was Normal but the Pain Was Real
Exploring Hypnosis for Persistent Symptoms That Resist Easy Explanations During the Civil War, physician Silas Weir Mitchell began seeing soldiers with a strange and disturbing complaint. Some had lost an arm or leg, yet they still felt pain, itching, cramping, or pressure in the missing limb. The limb was gone. The pain was not. At…
Read MoreThe Patient Who Entered Surgery Calm Instead of Terrified
How Preoperative Hypnosis May Reduce Anxiety, Pain, and the Emotional Stress Surrounding a Medical Procedure On April 12, 1829, a 64-year-old woman known as Madame Plantin entered a surgical room in Paris. She had advanced cancer in her right breast. This was before modern anesthesia, sophisticated monitoring equipment, and the pain management methods available today. Historical…
Read MoreHow Mental Barriers Stopped This Athlete Until One Breakthrough Moment Changed Everything
A professional basketball player suffered a severe ankle injury that should have healed within months. Physically, the medical scans showed the joint had recovered. The ligaments were stable. Strength had returned, but something strange happened. Every time he tried to jump, cut, or drive toward the basket, his body hesitated. It was not pain. It was something else.…
Read MoreHow Hypnosis Helped a Patient Overcome Her Lifelong Fear of Needles and Blood
For as long as she could remember, Erin could not stand the sight of blood. The mere thought of a vaccination or blood draw sent her pulse racing. In school, she fainted during a biology class when a classmate pricked her finger. At 26, she avoided doctor visits, even when she knew she needed them.…
Read MoreHow Hypnosis Helped A Weight Loss Surgery Patient Heal Faster
When Mara underwent gastric bypass surgery, she expected to lose weight. What she did not expect was the wave of anxiety that followed. Every gurgle, twinge, or ache felt like something was wrong. Despite her surgeon’s reassurance, her body’s natural healing sensations felt foreign, even frightening. Then something unexpected happened: her bariatric nurse referred her…
Read MoreWhy More Doctors Are Using Hypnosis for Fibromyalgia Right Now
How Deep Relaxation Techniques Helped a Woman Reduce Widespread Pain When “Laura,” a 43-year-old teacher and mother of two, was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia, she described her pain as “a storm that never stops.” Each day felt unpredictable, with aching muscles, burning sensations, and deep bone fatigue. Medications dulled the edges but did not bring…
Read MoreHow to Protect Your Body From Your Own Destructive Thoughts
In my work as a keynote speaker on self-care for Healthcare professionals, I am often asked: “How does mental health impact physical health?” This question is relevant, especially for caregivers who may prioritize others’ well-being at the expense of their own. The answer is that your mental and physical health are deeply interconnected, and understanding…
Read MoreReducing Pain and Scarring: The Surprising Role of Hypnosis in Burn Recovery
In 1998, Patricia, a 21-year-old laboratory technician in training, suffered second- and third-degree burns over her arms and torso after an explosion in her chemistry lab. Morphine dulled the edge of her agony but did not touch the waves of panic that came every time her dressings were changed. After visiting an anesthesiologist, she was…
Read MoreThe Breakthrough Mind Technique That Restored Hope to a Man Who Couldn’t Swallow
How one man’s rare swallowing disorder led to a breakthrough in mind-body healing Imagine sitting down to a meal, feeling hunger in your belly, the aroma of food filling the air, and finding you cannot swallow a single bite. Not because you are nervous, not because it is too hot, but because your esophagus simply…
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