Hypnotherapy for pain...

I recently hurt my shoulder — I overstretched my neck, but I actually felt the pull in my shoulder blade. I knew immediately something was wrong; it felt tight and loose at the same time. Despite using an ice pack to help it recover, I often felt a burning pain that wouldn’t subside. For no particular reason, I was reluctant to go to the chiropractor, so I tried acupuncture and a massage, but that only eased it slightly. I continued trying to manage the pain with ice and rest, but I knew I needed the help only a chiropractor could bring.

I still had a few days to wait before I could see the lady I usually go to, and after about ten nights of trying to sleep as best I could, it finally occurred to me to use my own therapeutic skills! It finally occurred to me to relax. While trying to get into a comfortable position in bed, I deliberately stopped fidgeting and settled. In my mind, I spoke to the muscles that keep my shoulder in place. Immediately I felt them drop; I let them become heavy, soften, and release. I stopped struggling — I let the muscles stop working. I let the pain, whatever it was, just be. I can’t be sure what happened then because I fell asleep… 😊

When using hypnotherapy to treat pain, different practitioners use different techniques, and different approaches work for different people. It can depend on the nature of the person and how they relate to their pain, but ultimately what we are all trying to do is relax the nervous system. Once the nervous system relaxes, the pain can reduce.

Some people, like me, might prefer to simply allow the pain to be, while others need to direct the pain to lessen. Some may need to feel more in control, while I needed to let go. My shoulder was hurt — I needed to allow it to be hurt instead of insisting it get better so I wouldn’t have to go to the chiropractor. Sometimes it can be helpful to consider pain as a message and explore the best and most appropriate ways of responding to it.

Hypnotherapy can allow you to disassociate from pain or help you make friends with it. It can help you compare pain to the absence of sensation. It can encourage you to ask questions and find different ways of thinking, moving and living. Many different approaches can bring relaxation to the nervous system and allow pain to go down. As fear lessens and we become less vigilant, and the body has the chance to naturally relax and adjust as it needs to.

After I did see the chiropractor I felt significantly better — so physical, practical help is always the first thing to seek but, f

rom there, if you find your body cannot calm itself, hypnotherapy can make a profound difference. It can help with sleep, improve your outlook and mood, and give you a sense of authority over what you are going through. It can help you contain pain and shift your focus to the areas of your life that relax and comfort you.