How effective is hypnotherapy for chronic pain?

In the National Library of Medicine (Pub Med), an article was published in 2007, Hypnotherapy for the Management of Chronic Pain: This article reviews controlled prospective trials of hypnosis for the treatment of chronic pain. A literature review identified thirteen independent studies investigating hypnosis for chronic pain management. These studies encompassed various pain conditions, including cancer pain, lower back pain, arthritis pain, fibromyalgia, and others. Each study compared the effectiveness of hypnosis against baseline data or a control group. The collective findings consistently demonstrated improved outcomes and significant reductions in pain intensity for individuals receiving hypnosis treatments.

In the National Library of Medicine (Pub Med), meta-analysis was published in 2019, The Effectiveness of Hypnosis for Pain Relief:A comprehensive review analyzing 85 controlled trials investigated the effectiveness of hypnosis in pain relief. The analysis revealed a strong influence of hypnotic suggestibility and the use of direct analgesic suggestions on treatment outcomes. Specifically, individuals classified as high or medium suggestible demonstrated optimal pain reduction when administered hypnosis with direct analgesic suggestions. These studies found that hypnosis was effective in reducing pain intensity and improving pain-related outcomes in individuals with chronic pain.  Overall, these findings suggest that hypnotic interventions offer a promising approach to pain management for a significant portion of the population

These studies not only confirm the effectiveness of hypnosis in reducing pain intensity, but also suggest that individuals with greater hypnotic suggestibility may experience even more significant pain relief. This highlights the potential for personalized treatment approaches within hypnosis for chronic pain management.