Helping Arthritis With Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy can help arthritis sufferers

There are nine million people in the UK suffering with arthritis and the disease has a big impact on the life of both the sufferer and the family members around them. The disease can affect people of all ages and is not just a physical problem of the elderly. Many physical diseases and disorders are now being helped with hypnotherapy. Hypnosis can assist arthritis sufferers using powerful suggestion and mental imagery techniques.

Hypnotherapy is becoming a popular way to help sufferers of degenerative problems such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and many other rheumatic diseases. By clearly understanding the disease’s nature and the client’s problem with arthritis, the hypnotherapist can devise a suitable hypnosis treatment plan to assist with the symptoms and alleviate suffering.

Helping arthritis with hypnosis

Arthritis is inflammation of the joints and the two most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis develops over a period of time and is caused by changes to soft tissue in the joints that surrounds and protects the surface of the bone (known as cartilage). The cartilage breaks down and joints become strained and stiff causing pain and difficulty with mobility. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease affecting the joints and tendons. The inflammation begins to attack the joint’s membrane, fluid and tendon sheaths causing the joint to become red, swollen and painful.

There is no known cure for arthritis and sufferers require a number of treatments to alleviate the pain and improve mobility. Managing arthritis requires a physical and mental effort that can place strain on the individual’s thoughts, emotions and behaviour. If their attitude toward the disease is overly negative, it can prove detrimental to their well-being and ability to cope with it. Hypnotherapy works on physical and psychological level to give sufferers the tools to manage their condition.

Visiting a hypnotherapist can ease the symptoms of arthritis

Many of the body’s systems and functions are controlled by the part of the mind called the subconscious. The subconscious is responsible for the control of circulatory, muscular, hormonal and chemical functions. These functions directly affect the health of joints and healthy cartilage grows from the production of chondrocytes cells which hypnosis can help control. Hypnosis can also regulate the flow of endorphin chemicals which the body uses for relaxation and comfort.

If the arthritis sufferer is not aware of how their condition has developed or affects them, the hypnotherapist will explain using diagrams of the joint. Understanding increases the effectiveness of the hypnotic treatment. The hypnotherapist will then help the client induce a deep relaxation known as a hypnotic trance. Once in this state, the subconscious part of the mind can be accessed and the hypnotherapist will use powerful positive suggestions. These suggestions will include visualising the fluids and chemicals that flow around the body affecting joint function. By imagining the fluids flowing directly to the affected parts of the body, the subconscious will begin to learn and make positive changes to the process physically.

The hypnotherapist will also make the client control their pain and sensitivity by influencing the subconscious to perceive it as something they can turn down (in the same way a volume control reduces noise). The pain can also be redirected away from the affected area to a less sensitive area of the body such as the fingertips. Pain sensations can also be altered, for instance from sharp and acute pain to a dull ache that subsides. Using hypnotherapy, arthritis sufferers can learn to manage their condition and start to live a healthier and more positive life.

Article Submitted By:
Daniel Alexander, GoToSee Journalist

Date Published:
09/05/08

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