[LUM#5] The healing brain

[LUM Magazine] - Published on April 11, 2017 in Science-Society

Exploring the natural capacities of the human brain to stimulate healing: that's the promise of medical hypnosis. It's a fast-growing approach that has a place in all healthcare disciplines.

Forget turbans, pendulums and "I want you to sleep". Far removed from these spectacular staged events, hypnosis has now become a fully-fledged treatment tool, widely acclaimed by many doctors. " Our practice is the antithesis of 'music-hall hypnosis', which conveys a completely false image of hypnosis. It nurtures the myth of one person's power over another, which is not at all the reality," explains Isabelle Nicklès, head of the "Clinical and Therapeutic Medical Hypnosis" inter-university diploma, a unique course in France run by the University of Montpellier.

For the specialist, hypnosis is far from being synonymous with surrendering one's will to a third party: " the person hypnotized remains an actor throughout the session, and the practitioner merely accompanies them ". Where to? Towards a particular state of consciousness and altered attention, a state which is triggered by a relationship of trust and empathy with a third party, in this case the carer ", explains the specialist. There's nothing paranormal about it: " this so-called dissociative state is completely physiological; we're simply helping the brain to return to a natural state for which it is genetically programmed. We are in fact addressing a brain function of which we are unaware ".

A natural state

For Isabelle Nicklès, hypnosis is nothing other than a special neuro-psycho-physiological means of communication, enabling easier access to the unconscious resources of the human being. This is because the brain harbors unexplored potential, which can prove invaluable when it comes to treatment. " The human body possesses vastly under-exploited self-healing capacities that can be stimulated through hypnosis, thus contributing to the power of the mind over the body ", explains the specialist. Hypnosis is not a substitute for traditional medicine, but a complement to it in all medical fields. " It should be seen as an amplifier and gas pedal of treatment ," sums up the doctor.

Since the creation of the diploma in 2008, a large number of healthcare professionals have been trained in medical hypnosis: doctors, midwives, anesthetists, dentists, clinical psychologists... and a growing number of practitioners are interested in this process. Hypnosis has found its place in the operating theatre, for example at the Montpellier Cancer Institute, where patients undergoing certain operations can benefit from hypnosis sessions. " In practice, either the patient benefits from a relaxation hypnosis session just before the classic general anaesthetic, or the practitioner will use the so-called hypno-sedation technique to replace the general anaesthetic: he or she sits next to the patient and talks to him or her throughout the procedure to create what we call an "augmented virtual reality system". This method considerably reduces emotional stress, which is actually the most important component in the experience of pain ", explains the specialist. Surgery permitting, and thanks to this "hypno-sedation", patients no longer need to undergo a general anaesthetic: they benefit from a simple local or locoregional anaesthetic on the area to be operated on, accompanied by a light soothing intravenous medication.

Processing gas pedal

The use of hypnosis in the operating theatre has proved its worth: studies show that it not only reduces the side-effects of medication, but also shortens hospital stays and enables patients to return to work more quickly. "If used systematically, hypnosis could save up to 50% on healthcare costs. Hypnosis is officially recognized by the French social security system for pain management, but is not yet reimbursed. It is also recognized by the FrenchAcademy of Medicine as a 'non-medicinal medical technique '," emphasizes Isabelle Nicklès. Many midwives now suggest hypnosis to expectant mothers as a way of preparing for childbirth and easing their baby's arrival into the world.

But hypnosis-based pain management is only the tip of the iceberg. "Unfortunately, hypnosis is still under-exploited in the field of mental illness. Yet it is highly effective in the treatment of most anxiety disorders: phobias, addictions and depression. Provided it is used by a healthcare professional qualified to treat these illnesses ", warns the specialist, who is concerned about the potential for illegal medical practice.

Key words : LUM#5, LUM Magazine, Medicine, Research, Health