Hypnosis Facts http://www.hypno-facts.com Hypnosis research, uses of hypnosis :: Separating fact from fiction Mon, 20 Dec 2010 05:09:16 +0000 en hourly 1 Cortical representation of the sensory dimension of pain http://www.hypno-facts.com/uses-of-hypnosis/pain-reduction/cortical-representation-of-the-sensory-dimension-of-pain http://www.hypno-facts.com/uses-of-hypnosis/pain-reduction/cortical-representation-of-the-sensory-dimension-of-pain#comments Mon, 20 Dec 2010 05:09:16 +0000 Ethan Z. http://www.hypno-facts.com/?p=436
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Neurophysiol. 2001 Jul;86(1):402-11.
Cortical representation of the sensory dimension of pain.

Hofbauer RK, Rainville P, Duncan GH, Bushnell MC.

Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Y6, Canada.
Abstract

It is well accepted that pain is a multidimensional experience, but little is known of how the brain represents these dimensions. We used positron emission tomography (PET) to indirectly measure pain-evoked cerebral activity before and after hypnotic suggestions were given to modulate the perceived intensity of a painful stimulus. These techniques were similar to those of a previous study in which we gave suggestions to modulate the perceived unpleasantness of a noxious stimulus.

Ten volunteers were scanned while tonic warm and noxious heat stimuli were presented to the hand during four experimental conditions: alert control, hypnosis control, hypnotic suggestions for increased-pain intensity and hypnotic suggestions for decreased-pain intensity.

As shown in previous brain imaging studies, noxious thermal stimuli presented during the alert and hypnosis-control conditions reliably activated contralateral structures, including primary somatosensory cortex (S1), secondary somatosensory cortex (S2), anterior cingulate cortex, and insular cortex.

Hypnotic modulation of the intensity of the pain sensation led to significant changes in pain-evoked activity within S1 in contrast to our previous study in which specific modulation of pain unpleasantness (affect), independent of pain intensity, produced specific changes within the ACC. This double dissociation of cortical modulation indicates a relative specialization of the sensory and the classical limbic cortical areas in the processing of the sensory and affective dimensions of pain.

PMID: 11431520 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11431520

Full article:

http://jn.physiology.org/content/86/1/402.long

]]> http://www.hypno-facts.com/uses-of-hypnosis/pain-reduction/cortical-representation-of-the-sensory-dimension-of-pain/feed 0 Dissociation of sensory and affective dimensions of pain using hypnotic modulation http://www.hypno-facts.com/uses-of-hypnosis/pain-reduction/dissociation-of-sensory-and-affective-dimensions-of-pain-using-hypnotic-modulation http://www.hypno-facts.com/uses-of-hypnosis/pain-reduction/dissociation-of-sensory-and-affective-dimensions-of-pain-using-hypnotic-modulation#comments Mon, 20 Dec 2010 04:47:20 +0000 Ethan Z. http://www.hypno-facts.com/?p=434 Pain. 1999 Aug;82(2):159-71.
Dissociation of sensory and affective dimensions of pain using hypnotic modulation.

Rainville P, Carrier B, Hofbauer RK, Bushnell MC, Duncan GH.

Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Abstract

Understanding the complex nature of pain perception requires the ability to separately analyze its psychological dimensions and their interaction, and relate them to specific variables and responses. The present study, therefore, attempted to selectively modulate the sensory and affective dimensions of pain, using a cognitive intervention, and to assess the possible relationship between these psychological dimensions of pain and changes in physiological responses to the noxious stimuli.

In three experiments, normal subjects trained in hypnosis rated pain intensity and pain unpleasantness produced by a tonic heat-pain stimulus (1-min immersion of the hand in 45.0-47.5 degrees C water). Two experiments were designed to test hypnotic suggestions to decrease (Experiment one (Section 2.5.1)), or increase and decrease (Experiment two (Section 2.5.2)) pain affect. Suggestions in Experiment three (Section 2.5.3) were directed towards an increase or decrease in pain sensation. In Experiments one and two (Sections 2.5.1 and 2.5.2), the significant modulation in pain unpleasantness ratings was largely independent of variations in perceived pain intensity. Moreover, in Experiment two (Section 2.5.2), there was a significant correlation between the stimulus-evoked heart-rate increase and ratings of pain unpleasantness, but not of pain intensity, suggesting a direct functional interaction between pain affect and autonomic activation. In Experiment three (Section 2.5.3), suggestions to modulate the sensory aspect of pain produced significant modulation of pain intensity ratings, with secondary changes in pain unpleasantness ratings.

Hypnotic susceptibility (Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale form A) was specifically correlated to pain unpleasantness modulation in Experiment two (Section 2.5.2) and to pain intensity modulation in Experiment three (Section 2.5.3), suggesting that this factor relates to the primary process toward which hypnotic suggestions are directed. The specific pain dimension on which hypnotic suggestions act depends on the content of the instructions and is not a characteristic of hypnosis itself. Results are consistent with a successive-stage model of pain perception (e.g. Wade JB, Dougherty LM, Archer CR, Price DD. Assessing the stages of pain processing: a multivariate analytical approach. Pain 1996;68:157-167) which provides a conceptual framework necessary to study the cerebral representation of pain perception.

PMID: 10467921 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

]]> http://www.hypno-facts.com/uses-of-hypnosis/pain-reduction/dissociation-of-sensory-and-affective-dimensions-of-pain-using-hypnotic-modulation/feed 0 Self-Hypnosis As Anesthetic During Surgery in UK http://www.hypno-facts.com/evidence/self-hypnosis-as-anesthetic-in-surgery-in-uk http://www.hypno-facts.com/evidence/self-hypnosis-as-anesthetic-in-surgery-in-uk#comments Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:14:14 +0000 Ethan Z. http://www.hypno-facts.com/?p=418 The youtube video below is of Dr. John Butler, a leading UK Hypno-anesthetist as he undergoes a hernia repair surgery using self hypnosis as the only form of anesthesia in November 2004 at the Chelsfield park hospital, Kent, UK. The surgeon is Tom Hennigan

Please be advised this video is graphic and does depict actual surgery scenes.

Dr. John Butler’s website: www.hypnotherapytraininginstitute.org (HTI). HTI is a recognised clinical hypnosis course provider for the British Society of Hypnotherapists (Est 1950), the oldest Hypnotherapy Professional Organisation in the UK.

]]> http://www.hypno-facts.com/evidence/self-hypnosis-as-anesthetic-in-surgery-in-uk/feed 0 The Origins of The Words Hypnotism & Hypnosis http://www.hypno-facts.com/the-birth-of-hypnosis/the-origins-of-the-words-hypnotism-hypnosis http://www.hypno-facts.com/the-birth-of-hypnosis/the-origins-of-the-words-hypnotism-hypnosis#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:41:20 +0000 Ethan Z. http://www.hypno-facts.com/?p=391 I’d like to take a moment to mention that any use of the term “hypnotism” before 1841 is speculative since James Braid was the first to use that term in 1841. Braid adopted the term hypnotism to emphasize the state of the subject, rather than the techniques applied by the operator.

Braid’s technique was a subject-centered approach, unlike the operator-centered Mesmerism, Animal Magnetism or the induction of artificial somnabulism.

Hypnotism:

In an unpublished work, Essay on the Curative Agency of Neuro-Hypnotism (1842) Baird, referred to “nervous sleep” (meaning sleep of the nerves) by the term “neuro-hypnotism”, and then used “hypnotism” (from the Greek hypnos, “sleep”) for short. Hypnos (’UpnoV in Greek) is the Greek god of sleep. Hypnos was generally depicted in myth and literature as a gentle, benevolent force that brought the restorative gift of sleep to mortals and gods alike.

Braid realized that “hypnotism” was not a kind of sleep; he pursued the use of the term “monoideism” which translates to “single-idea-ism”, but the term “hypnotism”, and its descendant “hypnosis”, have already been widely in use and favored by the public.

Hypnosis:

The term “hypnosis” (in contrast to hypnotism) gained widespread about twenty years after the death of James Braid. This term gained in popularity first in France where most the early developments in the field occurred.

]]> http://www.hypno-facts.com/the-birth-of-hypnosis/the-origins-of-the-words-hypnotism-hypnosis/feed 0 Animal Magnetism Defined http://www.hypno-facts.com/myths/animal-magnetism-defined http://www.hypno-facts.com/myths/animal-magnetism-defined#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:33:03 +0000 Ethan Z. http://www.hypno-facts.com/?p=387

Animal Magnetism :: Photographed in Wisconsin

In today’s usage Animal Magnetism refers to a person’s sexual attractiveness but this is misleading. According to Franz Mesmer, Animal Magnetism (French: magnétisme animal), as it was originally used, referred to a “Magnetic fluid” or “ethereal medium” residing inside of living beings. It is worth noting that Mesmer chose the word “animal” to offer contrast between the Magnetic fluid, or Magnetic force, in living beings (humans and animals) from other magnetic forces referred to at that time, such as mineral Magnetism, cosmic Magnetism and planetary Magnetism. He also chose the word animal for its root meaning, from the Latin animus meaning “breath” to identify this force as a quality that belonged to all creatures with breath.

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]]> http://www.hypno-facts.com/myths/animal-magnetism-defined/feed 0 The Birth of Hypnosis – Part 15 – James Braid & The Early 19th Century http://www.hypno-facts.com/the-birth-of-hypnosis/the-birth-of-hypnosis-%e2%80%93-part-15-%e2%80%93-james-braid-the-early-19th-century http://www.hypno-facts.com/the-birth-of-hypnosis/the-birth-of-hypnosis-%e2%80%93-part-15-%e2%80%93-james-braid-the-early-19th-century#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:30:54 +0000 Ethan Z. http://www.hypno-facts.com/?p=376 It is worth noting that any use of the term “hypnotism” before 1841 is speculative since James Braid was the first to use that term in 1841. Braid adopted the term hypnotism to emphasize the state of the subject, rather than the techniques applied by the operator. Braid’s technique was a subject-centered approach, unlike the operator-centered Mesmerism, Animal Magnetism or the induction of artificial somnabulism.

In November 1841, James Braid, a Scottish surgeon and physician, observed demonstrations given by the traveling French Mesmerist Charles Lafontaine. He became interested in Mesmerism and examined the subjects Mesmerized b Lafontaine. Braid concluded that these subjects where in a different physical state.

Upon reflection, Braid reached a conclusion that what he was observing was a natural psychophysiological mechanism. He followed by delivering a series of five public lectures in Manchester that commenced on 27 November 1841.

In 1843, Braid published a book, largely considered the first book ever written on ­hypnotism, titled Neurypnology.  Later, he was informed of reports concerning the practices of various Oriental meditation techniques. Braid’s interest in meditation developed more concretely after he was introduced to an ancient Persian text called Dabistan-i Mazahib which translates to the “School of Religions” that describes a wide variety of Oriental religious practices. He excitedly stated,

 “Last May [1843], a gentleman residing in Edinburgh, personally unknown to me, who had long resided in India, favoured me with a letter expressing his approbation of the views which I had published on the nature and causes of hypnotic and Mesmeric phenomena. In corroboration of my views, he referred to what he had previously witnessed in oriental regions, and recommended me to look into the “Dabistan,” a book lately published, for additional proof to the same effect. On much recommendation I immediately sent for a copy of the “Dabistan”, in which I found many statements corroborative of the fact, that the eastern saints are all self-hypnotisers, adopting means essentially the same as those which I had recommended for similar purposes.” 

Braid published a series of articles entitled Magic, Mesmerism, Hypnotism, etc., Historically & Physiologically Considered. In these articles, he discussed the early history of hypnosis, or to be more accurate the historical precursors that lead to hypnosis as known in his time. He drew analogies between his own practice of hypnotism and various forms of Hindu yoga meditation and other ancient spiritual practices. Despite that, Braid disputed all religious interpretations given to such phenomena.

Braid used Oriental meditation as an example and proof that the effects of hypnotism could be produced in solitude, without the presence of an operator (or Magnetizer). As a result he saw meditation and yoga as the historical precursors to hypnosis. He clearly stated that point of view in his book The Power of the Mind over the Body when he said that “there is no need for an exoteric influence to produce the phenomena of Mesmerism.”

Braid further explained,

 “Inasmuch as patients can throw themselves into the nervous sleep, and manifest all the usual phenomena of Mesmerism, through their own unaided efforts, as I have so repeatedly proved by causing them to maintain a steady fixed gaze at any point, concentrating their whole mental energies on the idea of the object looked at; or that the same may arise by the patient looking at the point of his own finger, or as the Magi of Persia and Yogi of India have practised for the last 2,400 years, for religious purposes, throwing themselves into their ecstatic trances by each maintaining a steady fixed gaze at the tip of his own nose; it is obvious that there is no need for an exoteric influence to produce the phenomena of Mesmerism. […] The great object in all these processes is to induce a habit of abstraction or concentration of attention, in which the subject is entirely absorbed with one idea, or train of ideas, whilst he is unconscious of, or indifferently conscious to, every other object, purpose, or action.”

It is worth noting that Braid’s hypnotism was significantly different from Lafontaine’s mesmerism. Braid quite intensely opposed the views of the Mesmerists, especially the claim that the effects of Mesmerism came from an invisible force (Animal Magnetism). Braid also opposed all claim that Mesmerised subjects developed paranormal abilities such as ESP.

Braid’s skepticism of the force of Animal Magnetism and ESP stemmed from his adoption of the philosophical school of Scottish Common Sense Realism thus he explained the Mesmeric phenomena with common laws of psychology and physiology. For instance, Braid explained a trance caused by a Mesmerist to be a physiological process resulting from the prolonged fixation on a bright moving object, or any object of fixation for that matter. He speculated that prolonged fixation of ones sight (eyes) caused fatigue to certain parts of the brain causing a trance, this is what he called a “nervous sleep”.

As a result of Braid’s analysis of Mesmerism on the basis scientifically well-established laws of psychology and physiology Braid is considered by many as being the first true hypnotist and the first genuine “hypnotherapist” (in contrast to Mesmerists and other Magnetists that preceded him). Hence, Braid is considered the “Father of Modern Hypnotism.” 

After Braid’s death in 1860, interest in hypnotism temporarily decreased and gradually moved out of Britain and into France, where research began to grow, reaching its peak around the 1880s with the work of Hippolyte Bernheim and Jean-Martin Charcot.

]]> http://www.hypno-facts.com/the-birth-of-hypnosis/the-birth-of-hypnosis-%e2%80%93-part-15-%e2%80%93-james-braid-the-early-19th-century/feed 2 The Birth of Hypnosis – Part 14 – Charles Lafontaine http://www.hypno-facts.com/the-birth-of-hypnosis/the-birth-of-hypnosis-%e2%80%93-part-14-%e2%80%93-charles-lafontaine http://www.hypno-facts.com/the-birth-of-hypnosis/the-birth-of-hypnosis-%e2%80%93-part-14-%e2%80%93-charles-lafontaine#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 19:08:14 +0000 Ethan Z. http://www.hypno-facts.com/?p=371 Charles Lafontaine (1803 – 1892) an early Swiss mesmerist that lived in Geneva published a journal Le magnétiseur. He was a failed actor but a successful (and wealthy) traveling mesmerist (or animal magnetiser as it was known then).

]]> http://www.hypno-facts.com/the-birth-of-hypnosis/the-birth-of-hypnosis-%e2%80%93-part-14-%e2%80%93-charles-lafontaine/feed 1 The Birth of Hypnosis – Part 13 – Dr. John Elliotson http://www.hypno-facts.com/the-birth-of-hypnosis/the-birth-of-hypnosis-%e2%80%93-part-13-%e2%80%93-dr-john-elliotson http://www.hypno-facts.com/the-birth-of-hypnosis/the-birth-of-hypnosis-%e2%80%93-part-13-%e2%80%93-dr-john-elliotson#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 05:03:53 +0000 Ethan Z. http://www.hypno-facts.com/?p=369 Dr. John Elliotson (1791-1868), an English surgeon, professor of medicine at the University College and an inventor (he invented the stethoscope), reported in 1834 numerous painless surgical operations that had been performed using Mesmerism. In 1842 John Elliotson, founded a hospital for the use of hypnosis in surgical operations. Despite his success in establishing that major operations could be undertaken under anesthesia induced by hypnotic suggestion, and despite a government commission attesting to this, the negative connotation in the medical world of the practice of Mesmerism resulted in Elliotson’s work being ignored and he had to face prejudice. 

In 1843 Elliotson published a journal, The Zoist, in which he presented a number of amputations performed under hypnosis without pain

]]> http://www.hypno-facts.com/the-birth-of-hypnosis/the-birth-of-hypnosis-%e2%80%93-part-13-%e2%80%93-dr-john-elliotson/feed 0 FAQ: Is There Evidence that Hypnosis Works? http://www.hypno-facts.com/evidence/faq-is-there-evidence-that-hypnosis-works http://www.hypno-facts.com/evidence/faq-is-there-evidence-that-hypnosis-works#comments Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:33:07 +0000 Ethan Z. http://www.hypno-facts.com/?p=366 Evidence is very abundant. A ton of studies, books and testimonials exist. This website (hypno-facts.com) contains but a few examples of how and what hypnosis can help with.

Browse this site for research, studies, evidence and more. Please do contact me if you have any questions to ask or stories to share. I’d be very happy to answer your questions or share your story.

]]> http://www.hypno-facts.com/evidence/faq-is-there-evidence-that-hypnosis-works/feed 0 FAQ: What About Stage Hypnosis Shows? http://www.hypno-facts.com/faq/faq-what-about-stage-hypnosis-shows http://www.hypno-facts.com/faq/faq-what-about-stage-hypnosis-shows#comments Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:07:44 +0000 Ethan Z. http://www.hypno-facts.com/?p=361 It is important to see the words ’stage’ and ’show’ here.

Stage shows are based on two concepts:

  1. The cooperation principal: The individuals on the stage are all volunteers, wanting to be on the stage.
  2. The willingness (and eagerness to) follow suggestions: These individuals are asked if they are willing to follow the hypnotist’s suggestions. Only the ones that have the desire, personality and are disposed to follow such suggestions of acting out on the stage are selected. Others are discretely sent back to their seats.
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