Hypnosis and Pain Control: A Tool for Coping

Pain has an important use — it warns you about something going on in the body. Once the medical issue is, or is being, addressed by a doctor, we understand the need for the signal, but it just wears on us.

It's understandable why many people look for additional relief. About 38% of U.S. adults (92 million people) use prescription opioids in a given year. Studies estimate that 20-30% of opioid prescriptions for chronic pain are misused, and about 10% develop an addiction. In 2023, an estimated 4.2 million Americans were still receiving long-term opioid therapy.

Prescription pain medication can be an important tool under medical supervision, and it is not without its own side effects.

While hypnosis is not medicine and is not a substitute for medical care, it can help with overall coping skills. Hypnosis used for pain control can help you divert your attention away from the area experiencing discomfort; it can help teach you that skill and make it into a habit by anchoring the action. It can help change the way you feel emotionally about the discomfort, which can lead to a reduction in stress — and stress impacts a whole host of other health issues. And sometimes you can even reduce the volume of the pain signal itself.

If you are living with ongoing discomfort, please continue to work with your healthcare provider on your care plan. Hypnosis can be a complementary support to help you cope alongside that care.

For educational purposes only. This content is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions about a medical condition.

Sources: 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (SAMHSA), IQVIA Longitudinal Prescription Database analysis via University of Michigan (2023), systematic review in PAIN®.