Hypnoanesthesia is an important alternative for some patients who cannot and should not be managed with conventional anesthetic techniques. 

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Hypnosis in one form or another has been used throughout the millennium from ancient witch doctors to modern day physicians. Hypnosis is an excellent adjunct to anesthesia. Many operating room nurses and nurse anesthetists use simple hypnotic techniques.

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There are many cases where, for one reason or another, traditional chemical anesthesia is contraindicated. In these instances, Hypnotic Anesthesia may well be the answer.

Some of the benefits include lower patient preoperative anxiety, fewer post-surgical complications, less bleeding during surgery and faster recovery time.

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In anesthesiology, hypnosis can be an exceedingly valuable tool. It is not a substitute for chemical anesthesia, but is used as an adjunct to conventional anesthetic techniques. Pain, in man, can be separated into two components: first, the physical stimulus which causes the pain; and second, the total emotional response to the pain. The secondary anxiety, muscle tension, and apprehension compound the physical symptoms of the pain. In reducing or eliminating these secondary modifiers of pain, hypnosis serves one of its most valuable roles in anesthesiology. It does not make the pain disappear, but it aids in the reprocessing of pain perception to a less annoying level by blocking neurophysiologic paths.

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Other uses of hypnosis in anesthesia include:

1) Conditioning the patient against fear, surprise and apprehension. The operating room scene may be rehearsed. This results in a more tranquil patient, leading to smoother induction and management of the anesthetic. This is preferred to drug-induced tranquility in an anxious client.

2) To assist induction of anesthesia.

3) As sole anesthetic in minor surgery, and occasionally in major surgery.

4) To treat post-op hiccoughs, nausea, and other problems.

5) To ease post-op tension, fear, pain, fear of coughing and thus decrease the need for analgesics-usually by posthypnotic suggestion.

6) In pain states of all kinds, including phantom limb.

7) To assist clients who must be helped by immobilization with appliances, or in uncomfortable or bizarre positions (e.g. body casts, pedicure grafts).

8) To improve overall attitude toward the total surgical experience. Though hypnosis takes times, our experienced hypnotist can use the time available more efficiently. Intra-operatively we, as anesthetists, have a significant opportunity to enhance our credibility with the patient. A suggestion of drowsiness and relaxation, supported by a small dose of treatment and a test dose of curare, makes a believer out of the most incredulous skeptic. The suggestibility of such a client receives a boost from this judicious intravenous therapy.

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Our Hypnotist Charbel Ramia is specialized in Hypnosis for Pain and Chronic Pain Control and he is ready to work with your Doctor to help you.

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