Think about having a breast biopsy, root canal or claustrophobia-inducing MRI. Rather not? I’m with you. Unfortunately, such medical procedures often are unavoidable. So whether we’re thinking about a test that’s scheduled for next month or an unanticipated surgery that we might need in the future, it’s smart to prepare. How? By learning a few simple self-hypnosis techniques.

Psychologist Eleanor Laser, PhD, coauthor of Patient Sedation Without Medication and a practicing hypnotherapist for more than 35 years, told me, “Self-hypnosis can ease pain, nausea, anxiety and fear before, during and after almost any medical procedure — angioplasty, plastic surgery, biopsy, colonoscopy, MRI, tooth extraction and more.”

These benefits are not just the result of getting empathetic attention from a health-care professional. Evidence: In a recent study, 200 women scheduled for either a surgical breast biopsy or lumpectomy met with a psychologist within the hour before their procedures. One group of patients got emotional support… the other had a hypnosis session. Results: The hypnosis group required less pain-relieving and sedative medication during surgery (dosages were adjusted for individual patients as needed)… and reported less discomfort, nausea and fatigue afterward.

You don’t even need a hypnotist to come with you to the hospital — because you can hypnotize yourself. Proof: In a recent clinical trial, women who used self-hypnosis during a core needle breast biopsy experienced significantly less pain and anxiety than women who received either standard care or empathetic attention by a research assistant.

JUST WHAT IS HYPNOSIS?

Hypnosis is a state of inner absorption and intense concentration, akin to daydreaming or losing yourself in a book. You are deeply relaxed yet completely awake and in control, and you can fully understand and follow instructions. Dr. Laser explained, “The conscious mind backs off during hypnosis, allowing the subconscious mind to take a more active role.”

Because the subconscious mind is more open to suggestion, you can give “suggestions” to yourself — for instance, “I am turning down the pain as I would the volume on the radio”… or “As I open my hands, all anxiety flows out and away from me.”

There is no risk or danger from hypnosis. While in a hypnotic state, you cannot be made to do anything that you would otherwise be unwilling to do.

GETTING STARTED

“Though you can learn to reach a state of deep relaxation without formal training, it is easier to master self-hypnosis if you first experience hypnosis under the guidance of a professional hypnotherapist,” Dr. Laser suggested. You may need from one to a half dozen sessions, so begin training at least a month before any scheduled procedure. Helpful: Your practitioner can make audiotapes of your sessions, which you then can use as you practice at home and on the day of your procedure.

Look for a certified hypnotherapist with an advanced degree in psychology, clinical social work, medicine or chiropractic. Referrals: American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (630-980-4740, www.asch.net, click on “Public” and “Member Referral Service”). A one-hour hypnosis session typically costs $100 to $200 and may be covered by insurance.

Do-it-yourself option: If you want to see whether you can learn this on your own, practice the series of four self-hypnosis techniques below for 20 minutes daily until you can enter into a state of deep relaxation at will. Then use these same techniques before, during and/or after your medical procedure to minimize discomfort and anxiety. Dr. Laser’s suggestions…

  • Lie or sit comfortably in a quiet room, eyes closed, taking deep breaths. Focus on the tiny muscles around your eyes, which are easy to control, and allow them to relax utterly. Now let that relaxation flow slowly from your eyes down your face and neck… into your torso and arms… and down your legs, until every muscle in your body is completely relaxed.
  • Now picture yourself in a safe, comfortable place — a forest, lake shore or verdant garden. Imagine in detail the beauty of all you see, hear and smell. The idea is to create a sanctuary that your mind can always go to — no matter where your body might be. Once you master this calming technique at home, you can use it during your medical procedure.
  • The next technique is to picture yourself coping serenely with physical discomfort. To practice: Imagine transforming an uncomfortable sensation, such as having a tooth drilled, by picturing the area being suffused with soothing, cooling numbness. Or imagine that, if you felt nauseated, you could gently rub your fingertips together and focus on those delicate sensations rather than on your stomach. During your procedure: Use the soothing sensations you practiced to provide a protective filter between you and any discomfort.
  • To ease anxiety before and during your procedure, envision yourself heaping up your worries like a pile of sand, letting the pile grow bigger until all your fears have been thrown on. Now, imagine little waves of water rolling gently against the pile and then back into the sea, again and again, carrying away your worries as if they were grains of sand… until every last one has disappeared.