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[@ChrisWillx] Is Hypnosis a Realistic Treatment for Chronic Pain? - Dr David Spiegel

· 5 min read
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@ChrisWillx - "Is Hypnosis a Realistic Treatment for Chronic Pain? - Dr David Spiegel"

Link: https://youtu.be/c77ELqCTKfU

Short Summary​

Okay, here's the breakdown of the provided transcript:

  • Number One Action Item/Takeaway: Learn and practice self-hypnosis techniques, particularly those offered by Revery, to gain control over pain and stress responses and improve overall well-being.

  • Executive Summary: The brain plays a crucial role in interpreting and controlling pain and stress. Self-hypnosis can significantly reduce pain levels, anxiety, and reliance on medication by training the brain to manage these responses effectively.

Key Quotes​

Okay, here are 4 quotes from the transcript that I found to be particularly valuable:

  1. "What does it say that interventions that do not change the mechanics of somebody's lower back can change their interpretation of the discomfort? What does that say about the way that pain, discomfort, the story we tell or even emotional pain, what does that say about the way that that works within the human system? The strain and pain lies mainly in the brain." - This quote encapsulates the central argument about the brain's role in pain perception.

  2. "So the brain has to process huge amounts of information and decide what's worth paying attention to and what is the salience coming back. this is it salient or not? And so the brain can substantially control responses like like pain." - This quote highlights the selective nature of attention and how it can be leveraged to manage pain.

  3. "So instead of thinking, oh, I have pain in my chest, there's a new metastasis, I'm going to die in a month, they would say, oh yeah, I know what this is. I can deal with it. And they would be able to control the pain." This illustrates the power of cognitive reappraisal and self-efficacy in managing pain, particularly in chronic conditions.

  4. "Um but they get the actual reduction the percent reduction in their total stress level is like 15 or 20%."

Detailed Summary​

Okay, here's a detailed summary of the YouTube video transcript you provided, focusing on the key information and arguments:

  • Pain Perception and the Brain:

    • Interventions that don't alter the mechanics of lower back pain can still change someone's interpretation of the discomfort, suggesting pain is significantly influenced by the brain.
    • The brain acts as a control center, interpreting information from the body and world, deciding what to prioritize or ignore.
    • Training the brain can alter its perception of discomfort and pain.

  • Hypnosis and Sensory Input (Stanford Study):

    • Stanford study on students connected to electric shock device, measured brain response (EEG).
    • Hypnotic suggestion ("arm in ice water, cool, tingly, numb") significantly altered the brain's response to shocks.
    • The early brain response (P100 wave) effectively disappeared in the hypnosis condition, suggesting the brain blocked the sensory input.
    • The P300 wave, related to processing unpleasantness and action needs, was halved, indicating less perceived impact.
    • Conclusion: Hypnosis demonstrates the brain's ability to control responses to pain signals.

  • Hypnosis in Surgical Setting (Femoral Artery Procedure Study):

    • Randomized controlled trial of patients undergoing surgery via femoral artery (chemo embolization, arterial constriction expansion).

    • Three groups: Standard care (opioids via button press), standard care plus friendly nurse, standard care plus training in self-hypnosis.

    • Results (After 1.5 hours):

      • Pain levels (out of 10): Standard care (5), nurse (3), hypnosis (1).
      • Anxiety levels (out of 10): Standard care (5), nurse (3), hypnosis (0).
      • Opioid use was half as much in hypnosis group as standard care.
      • Procedures were completed 17 minutes faster in hypnosis group.

    • Implication: Hypnosis is an effective analgesic, even in extreme circumstances. Comfortable patient allows the surgical team to be more efficient.

  • Brain Prioritization and Pain Management:

    • The brain decides what is important and what is not, and it can be trained using self-hypnosis.
    • Combat example: Soldiers focusing on helping others may not initially register their own severe injuries.
    • Hypnosis takes advantage of the brain's ability to control what's important, helping to reduce stress and anxiety.

  • Revery App (Self-Hypnosis Tool):

    • Revery offers immediate reductions in pain response.
    • Users can download it from www.revery.com or app stores (Reverie).
    • The first week is free to try for pain and stress reduction.
    • Revery helps users start by reducing their somatic overreaction to stressors, then allows them to think more clearly about what to do about the stressor.

  • Revery and Stress Reduction:

    • Revery uses a bottoms-up approach by feeling better before handling the stress. Imagine floating and reducing the body's reaction.
    • This process allows you to control your body's reaction and then picture on an imaginary screen the problem on one side and one thing you can do about it on the other.
    • Users can achieve a 20% reduction in stress levels in 10 minutes.
    • Most people (4 out of 5) experience a positive response, with the total stress level reduced by 15-20%.

  • Long-Term Benefits of Self-Hypnosis (Example: Metastatic Breast Cancer Study):

    • Randomized study with women with metastatic breast cancer (weekly sessions focusing on fear, pain, and anxiety + self-hypnosis training).
    • Women in the treatment group had half the pain compared to the control group with similar levels of medication.
    • Key takeaway: Patients felt a sense of control, knowing they could manage the pain through self-hypnosis, preventing catastrophic thinking and improving their response to pain.