Research

Hypnosis has been approved by the American Medical Association since 1958.  Here are some recent research findings on hypnosis

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) Research shows that hypnosis is as effective as Ritalin in treating ADD in children. (Presented at the American Psychological Association Meeting, 1999)

Cancer Many cancer patients suffer nausea and vomiting not only after chemotherapy, but before treatment. In a study of 16 subjects who normally experienced these symptoms, hypnosis alleviated pre-chemotherapy sickness in all of them. (Oncology, 2000) Immunity and

Dementia A scientist at the University of Liverpool has found that hypnosis can slow down the impacts of dementia and improve quality of life for those living with the condition.

Healing Hypnosis seems to significantly raise the activity of B-cells and T-cells, both key to immune response, in highly hypnotizable subjects. (American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 1995) In one of the most persuasive studies yet, a Harvard researcher reports that hypnosis quickened the typical healing time of bone fractures by several weeks.

Insomnia and Sleep Disorders National Institutes of Health Technology Assessment Panel report published in JAMA reported that hypnotherapy has been successfully employed with sleep disorders such as nightmares and anxiety associated with falling asleep as well as night terrors. There is general agreement that relaxation based approaches, including hypnosis, are "effective treatments of insomnia."

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Research from University of Edinburgh concluded that hypnotherapy brought about significant improvements in the physical and emotional symptoms related to Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The University of North Carolina is using hypnosis in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome by helping patients use their mind to quiet an unruly gut.

Pain Self-hypnosis was largely successful in alleviating chronic tension headaches in 169 patients. (International Journal of Experimental Hypnosis, 2000.) Doctors at the University of Washington's regional burn center in Seattle regularly use hypnosis to help patients alleviate excruciating pain. A consensus statement from the National Institutes of Health cited strong evidence that hypnosis can reduce chronic pain associated with cancer and other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and tension headaches.

PMS symptoms are reduced by 57%, according to a study published in American Journal Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Pregnancy and Conception Dr. Eliahu Levitas of Soroka University Medical Center in Beer Sheva, Israel and colleagues found that nearly 60 percent of a group of women who were hypnotized during in vitro fertilization became pregnant, versus about 30 percent of a group of women who weren't hypnotized. eMedicine Consumer Journal reported that medical hypnosis has been used to successfully reduce nausea and vomiting in pregnant women. American Medical Women's Association reports that the use of hypnosis improves infertile women's conception rate by 41%.

Smoking Of almost 3,000 smokers who participated in one group hypnotherapy session, sponsored by the American Lung Association, to kick the habit, 22% reported not smoking for a month afterward. (The International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 2000)

Surgery Hypnosis given during surgical radiology not only diminishes patients' pain and anxiety, but also shortens surgical time and reduces complications from the procedure. (Lancet, 2000) Several hospitals affiliated with Harvard Medical School are employing hypnosis to speed up post-surgical recovery time. Mount Sinai researchers who looked at 20 studies on hypnosis and surgical pain found that adding hypnosis to standard post-surgical care sped recovery almost 90% of the time, in terms of levels of pain, anxiety and the need for painkillers. Journal of Behavioral Medicine reported that open heart surgery patients who undergo hypnosis have fewer post operative complications.

Weight Loss A team of researchers from the University of Connecticut reviewed six weight loss studies that compared the effect of cognitive therapy-identifying eating triggers and defusing them with and without hypnosis. About 70% of the overweight people who got hypnosis lost more weight and kept it off longer than those who got only talk therapy.