Since treatments for systemic lupus erythematosus vary by patient, healthcare practitioner, and method, it is not unheard of for a person to explore various ways to treat the symptoms of her disease –- especially when it comes to relief from pain -– pain usually caused by inflammation, a hallmark of the disease.
Some of these methods, like hypnotherapy, which are discussed below, are considered complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), defined as a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices and products that are not presently considered a part of conventional medicine.
Understand that the Lupus Foundation of America does not recommend medications, products or methods not approved by the Food and Drug Administration or the American College of Rheumatology, further stating on its web site, “remedies that have not undergone the scrutiny of scientific investigation, lack the crucial information and data necessary to enable physicians to make sound recommendations regarding substances.”
Before exploring any new treatment option, then, it is best to talk with your healthcare provider.
Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy, or hypnosis, is a trance-like state of mind in which your attention is more focused, you’re more relaxed and calm, and often more open to suggestion. It enables changes in perception and memory and the potential for controlling certain physiologic functions that are usually involuntary. It is a naturally occurring state of mind
This form of therapy appears to help with a variety of health conditions, from pain management to easing the symptoms of illnesses like asthma to kicking bad habits, such as smoking.
Patients are usually guided through and into hypnosis by licensed, trained hypnotherapists. The ultimate goal of patient and therapist is to provide a way for the patient to gain better control over physical well-being. There are a variety of hypnosis techniques. The one that makes the patient the most comfortable is almost always the best fit and most successful.
How It Works
It is unclear exactly how hypnosis works, and it is always best to consult your healthcare provider before undergoing hypnotherapy to make sure it complements your standard medical treatment. It is often considered complementary to psychotherapy because it allows people to explore thoughts and emotions not easily accessible through the conscious mind. But it also allegedly enables people to block awareness of pain by sharpening their focus on the pain and averting their conscious mind from it.
Of the two forms of hypnotherapy, suggestion therapy and analysis, the foremost is of more relevance to lupus patients. Suggestion therapy focuses on perceptions and sensations, and is particularly useful in treating pain. Analysis is geared more toward counseling, and is used to discover the root cause of a disorder or symptom.
Risks
While generally perceived as very low-risk, it should not be practiced by someone with psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, or for someone who is using drugs or alcohol. And those hoping to undergo hypnotherapy for its pain management benefits should only do so after evaluation by a doctor for any physical disorder that might require medical or surgical treatment.
And don’t worry about being made to do something you don’t want to do. A hypnotherapist cannot make a patient do, say or feel anything he or she does not want to.
Sources: Clinical Hypnotherapy. The Cleveland Clinic. December 2005.
Complementary Therapies. National Pain Foundation. March 2008.
