Posted March 2010

Breast cancer patients helped to control pain with hypnotherapy

Further evidence of the ability of hypnotherapy to help reduce pain and suffering amongst cancer patients has emerged from research at the University of Buffalo in the United States.

A randomised trial looked specifically at the use of hypnosis amongst women being treated for breast cancer and found significant reductions of pain.

Headed by Lisa D Butler, associate professor at the university's School of Social Work, the study involved 124 women with metastatic breast cancer who were measured for pain and suffering, frequency of pain and degree of constant pain.

The women assigned to the study group received group psychotherapy, as well as instruction and practice in hypnosis to moderate their pain symptoms.

They reported "significantly less increase in the intensity of pain and suffering over time," compared with a control group, who did not receive the group psychotherapy intervention.

Dr Lisa D. Butler

However, those using hypnosis reported no significant reduction in the frequency or constancy of pain episodes.

According to Dr Butler: "The results of this study suggest that the experience of pain and suffering for patients with metastatic breast cancer can be successfully reduced with an intervention that includes hypnosis in a group therapy setting.

The study, published in Health Psychology concluded: "These results augment the growing literature supporting the use of hypnosis as an adjunctive treatment for medical patients experiencing pain."

Among the study's other findings was that within the treatment group, those patients who could be hypnotised more easily – a group the researchers said demonstrated "high hypnotizability" – reported greater benefits from hypnosis.

These patients used hypnosis more overall, including outside of the group sessions, and in some cases used it to address other symptoms related to their cancer.

"These results suggest that although hypnosis is not at present standard practice for treating a wide range of symptoms that trouble cancer patients, it is worth examining that potential," added Dr Butler.

"Together, these findings suggest that there may be a number of benefits to the use of hypnosis in cancer care including, but not necessarily limited to, its more traditional application for pain control."

The abstract from Psychology Health can be found HERE