Hypnosis is one of the most studied non-drug approaches to pain, and the evidence is stronger than many people expect.
At Jacquin Hypnosis Academy we believe that a clear understanding of pain, together with an honest look at what the research actually shows, is a powerful step towards freedom from unnecessary suffering. It gives you a sense of control, and it lets you take responsibility for your own wellbeing.
Tales of striking pain relief have followed hypnosis from antiquity to the present day. The difference now is that we can look past the anecdotes to controlled trials.
If you are new to this topic, our companion posts set the scene: What is the difference between useful and useless pain? explains the kind of pain worth working on, and How big of a problem is Chronic Pain? shows the scale of the issue.
What the evidence shows
Hypnosis offers real leverage in changing the behaviours and experiences linked to pain (Lynn et al., 2000). That review placed hypnosis among the empirically supported interventions for pain, based on controlled research rather than reputation.
The most cited single finding comes from a meta-analysis of 18 controlled studies of hypnotic analgesia, which reported a moderate to large effect (Montgomery, DuHamel, and Redd, 2000).
It is worth stating that result carefully, because it is often misquoted. The frequently repeated "75%" figure does not mean that 75% of people get relief. It means that the average person given hypnotic analgesia experienced more pain relief than about 75% of people in the control conditions. In other words, the typical hypnosis participant did better than roughly three quarters of those who received no hypnosis.
The effect is largest for people who are highly suggestible, and it remains meaningful for those who are moderately suggestible. Because hypnotic pain control also carries a placebo element, most people can expect some reduction in pain from suggestion-based techniques, even if the size of that reduction varies from person to person.
Pain has two components, and hypnosis can reach both
Pain has a sensory or physical component, and an affective or emotional component.
The sensory component relates to the raw intensity of the experience. The affective component concerns the unpleasantness of the pain, the person's subjective level of distress, which can rise and fall with mood, attention and circumstance.
Hypnotic suggestions can influence both. That is part of why hypnosis is useful even when the underlying physical situation cannot be changed: it can turn down the distress as well as the sensation.
Self-hypnosis and pain control
Self-hypnosis can be described as inducing the hypnotic process yourself, using suggestions you generate, without a hypnotist present to guide you (Eason and Parris, 2019). You do it yourself, which puts you in control of your own experience and hands responsibility for your wellbeing back to you.
Pain has been studied more than any other application of self-hypnosis, and the pattern of results is encouraging.
Several trials found that self-hypnosis outperformed active comparison treatments, including EMG biofeedback, cognitive restructuring, structured attention, and relaxation training (Jensen et al., 2009; Jensen et al., 2011; Lang et al., 2000; Tan et al., 2015).
Further trials found that self-hypnosis outperformed more passive comparisons, such as conscious sedation, empathy alone, standard care, or no active treatment (Lang et al., 2006; Lang et al., 1996).
Self-hypnosis has also been used successfully for pain in children (Liossi et al., 2006; Olness et al., 1987).
Taken together, these studies point in one direction: self-hypnosis can help reduce pain. That is genuinely good news, because it means we can not only help clients find relief from useless and unnecessary pain, we can teach them to create that relief for themselves.
Frequently asked questions
Does hypnosis really reduce pain, or is it just relaxation?
Controlled research, including a meta-analysis of 18 studies, shows a moderate to large effect of hypnotic analgesia on pain, beyond what relaxation alone would predict (Montgomery et al., 2000). Hypnosis can influence both the intensity of pain and the distress attached to it.
Does the "75%" figure mean most people get relief?
Not quite. It means the average person receiving hypnotic analgesia did better than about 75% of people in the control groups (Montgomery et al., 2000). It describes the size of the effect compared with no hypnosis, rather than a success rate. Most people can expect some benefit, though the amount varies, and it tends to be greatest for those who are more suggestible.
Can I use self-hypnosis on my own pain?
Yes. Self-hypnosis is self-generated, so no hypnotist needs to be present (Eason and Parris, 2019). Pain is the most studied use of self-hypnosis, and multiple trials suggest it can reduce pain, including in children. As always, get appropriate medical assessment first, since pain can signal something that needs treatment.
Does it only work for highly suggestible people?
The effect is largest for highly suggestible people, but it is still meaningful for those who are moderately suggestible, and the placebo component means most people can experience some reduction in pain from suggestion-based techniques.
Put the science to work
At Jacquin Hypnosis Academy we teach practical, evidence-informed techniques for easing useless and unnecessary pain, including The Arrow Technique. If you would like to learn how to reduce or ease pain, in yourself or in others, you can trial our training platform free for 14 days. To understand the wider picture first, read What is the difference between useful and useless pain? and How big of a problem is Chronic Pain?.
References
Eason, A. D., & Parris, B. A. (2019). Clinical applications of self-hypnosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice, 6(3), 262-278. https://doi.org/10.1037/cns0000173
Jensen, M. P., Barber, J., Romano, J. M., Hanley, M. A., Raichle, K. A., Molton, I. R., et al. (2009). Effects of self-hypnosis training and EMG biofeedback relaxation training on chronic pain in persons with spinal cord injury. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 57(3), 239-268. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207140902881007
Jensen, M. P., Ehde, D. M., Gertz, K. J., Stoelb, B. L., Dillworth, T. M., et al. (2011). Effects of self-hypnosis training and cognitive restructuring on daily pain intensity and catastrophizing in individuals with multiple sclerosis and chronic pain. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 59(1), 45-63. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207144.2011.522892
Lang, E. V., Benotsch, E. G., Fick, L. J., Lutgendorf, S., Berbaum, M. L., et al. (2000). Adjunctive non-pharmacological analgesia for invasive medical procedures: A randomised trial. The Lancet, 355(9214), 1486-1490. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(00)02162-0
Lang, E. V., Joyce, J. S., Spiegel, D., Hamilton, D., & Lee, K. K. (1996). Self-hypnotic relaxation during interventional radiological procedures: Effects on pain perception and intravenous drug use. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 44(2), 106-119. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207149608416074
Lang, E. V., Berbaum, K. S., Faintuch, S., Hatsiopoulou, O., Halsey, N., et al. (2006). Adjunctive self-hypnotic relaxation for outpatient medical procedures: A prospective randomized trial with women undergoing large core breast biopsy. Pain, 126(1-3), 155-164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2006.06.035
Liossi, C., White, P., & Hatira, P. (2006). Randomized clinical trial of local anesthetic versus a combination of local anesthetic with self-hypnosis in the management of pediatric procedure-related pain. Health Psychology, 25(3), 307-315. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-6133.25.3.307
Lynn, S. J., Kirsch, I., Barabasz, A., CardeƱa, E., & Patterson, D. (2000). Hypnosis as an empirically supported clinical intervention: The state of the evidence and a look to the future. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 48(2), 239-259. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207140008410050
Montgomery, G. H., DuHamel, K. N., & Redd, W. H. (2000). A meta-analysis of hypnotically induced analgesia: How effective is hypnosis? International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 48(2), 138-153. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207140008410045
Olness, K., MacDonald, J. T., & Uden, D. L. (1987). Comparison of self-hypnosis and propranolol in the treatment of juvenile classic migraine. Pediatrics, 79(4), 593-597. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.79.4.593
Tan, G., Rintala, D. H., Jensen, M. P., Fukui, T., Smith, D., & Williams, W. (2015). A randomized controlled trial of hypnosis compared with biofeedback for adults with chronic low back pain. European Journal of Pain, 19(2), 271-280. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.545