Hypnosis help for arthritics
Welsh Daily Post: 18/10/2005
North Wales researchers hope hypnosis techniques used to help smoker quit may improve life for rheumatoid arthritis sufferers.
Experts at Bangor University's School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences want people plagues with the crippling condition to sign up for trials.
But Bryn Bennett, 34, the doctorate student involved in the research, yester insisted he was no Paul McKenna.
And he stressed anybody taking part would be fully aware of what was going on.
"There will be non of that 'look into my eyes business which you see in the Little Britain series," he said."We just want to see how effective hypnosis can be in managing what is a very painful condition.
"Hypnosis or hypnotherapy in health care is usually associated with habit related applications such as getting people to stop smoking. But there is growing evidence and interest in its application for the management of certain conditions.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease of the immune system and I am interested in using psychotherapy techniques such as hypnotherapy to boost the system."
The Bangor student said imaging, when sufferers focus on positive images, is another crucial part of the experiment.
"Sufferers themselves will identify the areas of their lives most affected by their condition or those which are important to them, whether it be an inability to perform particular tasks or follow a specific hobby or interest.
"These will then be the focus for a course of individual hypnotherapy and imaging sessions. This is different from the normal approach, where a clinician will identify the areas of difficulty or inability that affect a sufferers quality of life.
Consultant Rheumatologist and Senior Clinical Lecturer Dr. Jeremy Jones said: "There is a growing medical interest in the use of psychological interventions for musculoskeletal conditions.
"Bryan's research could help us lean more about the value of such treatments in managing the pain, fatigue and stiffness experienced with rheumatoid arthritis, leading to an increase in the quality of life."
Recruits must be stabilised on their current treatment for at least 3 months. A university spokeswoman said. "They can take part either by visiting the university of through visits to their own homes." The trial involves six one-hour sessions over six weeks and then a one hour sessions every two months for six months.
Anyone interested in participating should contact Bryan Bennett on 01248 388147 or e-mail bryan.bennett@bangor.ac.uk.
© 2005 Welsh Daily Post
I keep telling everyone how good Hypnotherapy is. It's been really easy to give up, I just can't believe it.
Simon (Wicken)
