Chronic Pain & Hypnosis

As a nurse with over 25 years of experience working in recovery rooms and dealing with acute postoperative pain, one of the things that was most striking was how the effect of analgesia in certain cases was so much more effective if some explanation had been given pre-operatively about what to expect plus information that made the patient feel absolutely safe and secure in the knowledge that we would give them everything they needed to reduce if not nearly eliminate their pain.

Giving reasonable expectations of pain outcomes I think is very valuable. But the really striking thing was how multi-factorial the experience of pain is, it is an entirely subjective experience. When using tools to measure pain it is always in the knowledge that it is a unique persons experience of pain. So whilst you can say that generally a knee replacement is a very painful procedure you cannot say that the experience is the same for everyone undergoing that procedure.

20 years ago when I was working in the NHS we were often one-to-one with a patient and that very privileged position gave the time as practitioners to talk to our patients, to discuss with them, to distract them, make them feel at ease and generally to be aware of every little problem as it arose, and that of course reaped enormous benefits in the management of post-op pain.

Whereas acute pain usually does not last very long (but you can have acute pain that turns into chronic pain) chronic pain is defined as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage. It is a pain that persists or recurs for more than 3 months.” (NICE definition WHO 2024)

Whatever is the cause of the pain the fact that it is chronic means it will have a profound impact on and connection to all areas of a clients life and it is for that reason that an in-depth assessment is made so that the treatment you're going to give is as adapted as possible and takes into account all of those aspects. I suppose in an old-fashioned way we might call it an holistic approach but the term biopsychosocial is a more explanatory title and more often used nowadays.

So the biological part of it, the bio, refers to having an idea of the origin of this pain, what is actually causing it. With respect to the postoperative pain I was talking about earlier, it's very clear. It's to do with the surgery. In chronic pain it's not so clear but usually there is an origin, there is a point at which some damage has been done.

Then there’s psycho, the psychological aspect and that really is a bit of a deeper dive into all the different factors that can have an impact on the intensity of the pain such as stress, mood, life-changing events and coping mechanisms.

And then there's the social aspect, as that suggests, it involves the conditions and the environment in which the patient/client lives, the dynamics in work and at home, within the extended family, with colleagues, in any social situation at all in fact.

How can hypnotherapy help?

It is increasingly recognised as an adjunctive therapy for chronic pain — meaning it works alongside other treatments. It’s not only effective in the therapy room; it allows clients to continue their progress between sessions with self-hypnosis techniques and personalised audio recordings.

Research supports this: Dr. Mark P. Jensen’s work at the University of Washington has shown that hypnosis can meaningfully reduce chronic pain intensity and improve quality of life, particularly when clients learn self-hypnosis for ongoing use. His studies also highlight benefits beyond pain relief — such as improved sleep, mood, and a greater sense of control.

In Europe, the University of Liège in Belgium has pioneered “hypnosédation” for surgical pain and explored hypnosis in chronic pain management using advanced brain imaging. Their research shows that hypnosis can alter pain processing in the brain, reduce reliance on medication, and enhance patient comfort and well-being.

Meta-analyses echo these findings: multiple high-quality reviews have found hypnosis produces moderate to large reductions in chronic pain intensity, especially when delivered in a structured course of several sessions.

Hypnosis works by engaging the subconscious mind, allowing clients to change how they process and respond to pain signals. It can help:

• Reduce the intensity and distress associated with pain

• Increase relaxation and ease muscle tension

• Improve mood and coping ability

• Support restorative sleep

• Foster a greater sense of control over symptoms

With the audio files to listen to and self-hypnosis techniques, the client has access to a completely safe, practical, drug-free tool they can call on whenever they need it.

In short: chronic pain is complex, but that complexity means there are many avenues for relief. Hypnotherapy is one of the most flexible, evidence-based, and empowering tools available — and when integrated into a biopsychosocial approach, it can make a profound difference to people’s lives.