How to Handle Cancer Pain: Hypnosis and Self-Hypnosis Pain Relief for Cancer

Cancer pain help through both hypnosis and self-hypnosis may be one of the greatest gifts you give yourself while undergoing treatment for cancer. The pain of cancer can be tremendous but the drugs and other treatments have their own side effects and mind numbing issues that aren't always desirable.


Hypnosis and Self-Hypnosis for Cancer?


Hypnosis and self-hypnosis offers you the ability to find relief from pain without the fog of pharmaceuticals. This small piece of normalcy in your life at this particular time is a blessing all its own. The question becomes: do the drugs prescribed to bring relief bother you enough to warrant the unknown that hypnosis represents to so many.


Managing Pain


Pain management is one of the trickiest issues to deal with among cancer patients. Some patients prefer to feel no pain at all. Others feel that as long as they are feeling some of the pain they know, without a doubt that they are still among the living. Either way cancer pain help that is delivered in a manner that allows the most quality of life possible is the best way by far to manage that pain.


Why Hypnosis?


One question that remains for many is why? Why would hypnosis work and why should it be trusted? Hypnosis has been around for a long time. It is only in recent years that people have begun to harness the true power of both hypnosis and self-hypnosis for pain management, and put it to work for all manner of self-improvement efforts. 


Hypnosis for pain management has been proven to be effective for chronic pain and cancer pain through various studies at Stanford University, Yale, Harvard and in studies completed in London and Sweden.    

What Does Hypnosis and Self-Hypnosis Have to do With Cancer Pain Help?


Pain management may seem like a bit of a leap but when you think about, it's a logical next step. Pain rarely gets more critical or nearly as prolonged as the pain you will experience when going through with cancer.  There have been studies done showing that hypnosis can help reduce cancer pain and chronic pain.  Hypnosis is a case of mind over matter.  'There is no pain, until it gets to the brain.'  Utilizing areas of the brain through hypnosis to help reduce/control pain via suggestion, imagery, and bio-feedback.  This may be a simplistic explanation but ultimately that is what all hypnosis is. 


Relief that can be felt is a worthy pursuit for all who suffer from cancer pain.  Please keep in mind that the American Medical Association endorsed hypnosis for pain management in 1958 and the National Institute for Health (NIH) has also endorsed hypnosis. 

More than Mere Pain Management


Cancer pain help through hypnosis and self-hypnosis doesn't limit itself to physical pain. There are few times in your life when it is more important to handle emotional pain as well. Whether it is mending fencing, rebuilding bridges, or burning a few bridges along the way, life is too short to waste precious moments on pain. Hypnosis can be used to help you realize the battles that are worth hanging on to and those that you should have let go a long time ago. It can also be used to give you the strength to really let go and move on.


Beyond Cancer Pain Relief


Sometimes it takes cancer to remind you of the things that really are most important. Don't let the need for cancer pain help rob you of your opportunity to enjoy them. If you haven't taken the time to see what hypnosis and/or self-hypnosis can mean for you now is a great time to do so. Begin with cancer pain help and work your way up to healing all areas of your life and giving yourself the strength you need to face the pain of cancer and all the other living you have ahead of you.

If you would like more information on hypnosis for cancer pain or additional information on hypnosis for pain management please contact Traci Patterson at Advanced Pathways Hypnosis. 

Traci@AdvancedPathways.com        |     714.717.6633        |          Website:  www.AdvancedPathways.com

 

A Search for Effective Treatment Options for Chronic Pain Patients

There are over 100 million Americans dealing with chronic pain today. They are searching for answers. They are holding onto hope that they will find a way to get better. They are trying to get to a doctor that will have an answer. They are being put on countless medications that typically are not working, put through numerous procedures because doctors don’t know what else to do. And then when all else fails, they are told they need either a Spinal Cord Stimulator or a Pain Pump. Then if those options fail, the doctors want to refer them on to somebody else because they are out of options and the patient feels like they are left, in effect, holding the bag.

What will it take for the patient to get access to effective treatment options without being denied access to what they really need? 

The unfortunate facts are that the majority of chronic pain patients and cancer patients do not get sufficient relief from their pain medications. Therefore, the doctors continue to prescribe a cocktail of various medications hoping that it will do the trick. The patients then end up paying the ultimate price with side effects caused by the medications. Don’t get me wrong, I am not, in any way, stating that Pain Management doctors should not be prescribing medications. What I am stating is that they do not get to the area in the body that is responsible for sending out the pain signals, and this is why they are not effective. The insurance companies are willing to pay for prescription after prescription, and yet they do not want to reimburse for a treatment that is non-drug related. 

I just received an update from a leading pharmaceutical company with a press release about a new drug that they received approval from the US Patent Office. This is for a new proprietary drug for neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia. This means they are able to start double-blind studies and placebo studies on the medication.  The interesting part of the write-up is when they mention, “The market for such a medication worldwide runs into many billions of dollars.” This is prior to their comment about the drug’s ‘lack of serious side effects’, but yet there is no further comment as to any side effects discovered to date.

It’s great that they are looking at putting other options on the market for doctors to prescribe to their patients. But what about making other treatment options that are currently available accessible to patients? Will this happen?

Spinal Cord Stimulators are heavily pushed by pain management doctors and neurologists for chronic pain. I have spoken with several physicians off the record about the implantation and use of the Spinal Cord Stimulators.  During these conversations, I’ve been told that some doctors utilize them more than others because they can make more money, and it is easier than doing multiple blocks and going down the long treatment road with a chronic pain patient. Again, it comes down to reimbursement, unfortunately, and a push by Durable Medical Equipment (DME) companies.  The general cost for a Spinal Cord Stimulator, unit, surgery, etc., can be close to $100,000 depending on the manufacturer, area, hospital, and other variables.

What about Calmare Therapy? The Calmare device uses a biophysical rather than a biochemical approach. A ‘no-pain’ message is transmitted to the nerves via disposable surface electrodes applied to the skin in the region of the patient’s pain. The perception of pain is cancelled when the no-pain message replaces that of pain, by using the same pathway through the surface electrodes in a non-invasive way. Maximum benefit is achieved through follow-up treatments. The patient may be able to go for extended periods of time between subsequent treatments while experiencing significant pain control and relief.

This particular treatment option has been around for several years. Calmare tried for quite some time to get name recognition and focused primarily on social media, word of mouth, etc. Insurance companies have refused to reimburse for their treatments even though they have been found to be effective.  Why?  One reason could be that they are not tied into the large DME companies and conglomerates.  It is an interesting way of looking at it. Calmare did get a helping hand on June 30, 2014 when a Judge in New York ruled in favor of Calmare, instructing Allstate Insurance Company to reimburse for personal injury claims that involved the use of Calmare Therapy. Calmare also got some great publicity from the daytime TV show ‘Doctors’ when they spoke about a ‘brand new treatment option for chronic pain and CRPS’ on an episode in the month of June, 2014. Keep in mind their therapy has been around for several years, but because a New York University decided to utilize it, it is now considered new.  Generally the cost for this treatment is around $2,500 for 10 treatments. 

Ketamine Infusions are talked about widely with CRPS patients. There definitely is some baggage that comes along with the treatments, but they are mostly effective. Patients have to undergo a screening process, meet certain guidelines, and then of course there is the financial burden. I believe it is approximately $50,000-$60,000 for the initial infusions, hospital stay, and then the first follow-up infusions at six months. Insurance will not reimburse for this. They have gone to court to in some states to try to get reimbursement, but it is very difficult. More and more patients are looking at this avenue because they are unaware of Calmare and the other options available. Ketamine infusions do come with some side effects, and I would urge anyone thinking of this option to please do their research first. 

Last, but absolutely not least on the list is clinical hypnosis. I know many people are going to start reaching for their mouse to click away, but please keep reading. I am referring very specifically to a specialist in hypnosis that has a strong background with chronic pain patients, CRPS, fibromyalgia, cancer pain, phantom limb pain, PTSD, etc. You should first determine whether they have a certification in ‘Pain Management’.  A good program will include hypnosis, biofeedback, light/sound therapy and other modalities. I personally was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), and the final treatment that got me into remission was working with someone that had a history with chronic pain patients using a combination of hypnosis, biofeedback and other modalities. He was credentialed in Pain Management and many other areas as well. A one week commitment is what it takes. Hypnosis runs about the same as Calmare therapy in price, but can fluctuate depending on the area of the U.S. that you are being treated. This is a drug-free treatment to get your pain under control or get into full remission. At this time, it is not well-publicized as it is not backed by pharmaceutical companies or DME companies. Insurance companies generally do not reimburse for this treatment either, but people have been able to run it through flexible spending plans. 

If you want information on the final treatment(s) that I did to get into remission, you can read “Traci’s Story” for a brief overview.

If you are searching for answers for chronic pain, please take the time to consider some of the non-invasive treatment options in this article. You have an opportunity to retake control your life and regain what you’ve lost. 

For more information on CRPS, chronic pain or my journey, please feel free to contact me at:  Info@AdvancedPathways.com, or visit my website at www.AdvancedPathways.com.

HOPE

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), chronic pain, neuropathic pain… What do you think when you hear these words?  What crosses your mind when you think about these conditions or syndromes?

 

Does ‘hope’ ever cross your mind? 

 

Going through the ‘spin cycle’, as I would call it, when dealing with any of the above mentioned conditions (or even those that I left out that can fall into the categories) leaves the patient and their family searching for answers.  The problem comes when there is a lack of viable information available to patients, family members and loved ones.

As patients we have to be willing to ask the hard questions.  We have to be willing to stand up for our rights.  As a patient you also have to be willing to be your own best advocate.  Yes, this is extremely hard when you have chronic pain or any debilitating condition, but if you won’t who will…

The majority of people rely on their primary physician, surgeon or pain management doctor to convey information to them regarding their condition.  This is a grand idea and I highly recommend speaking with your physician to gain information regarding your diagnosis and prognosis.  Setting a proper treatment plan in place and following it.  Yet, what happens when you’ve taken these steps and you or a loved one is still in pain or still having issues with their diagnosis? 
 

Are you… the individual that states there is no hope for remission?  Are you… the patient that I have been reading on the blogs that is only open to taking medications or hoping that a spinal cord stimulator will give you enough relief?  Are you… the family member that writes the article stating that you are giving up on your child ever having a normal life due to CRPS because there will never be any hope of the pain going away? 

Let me start with a quote from Michael J. Fox

 

 

I know all too well that patients and their families are conditioned to accept that they have to live with pain, but as an individual that lived with chronic pain and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) for about seven (7) years I am here to tell you that there is ‘hope’.

When I was diagnosed with CRPS I too had problems finding answers.  I went through my own personal ‘spin cycle’ and had to find a way to wring myself out.  Life without remission was not an option.  I knew in my heart that I had to find a way, with or without my doctors to regain my life. 

 

I went on my own personal quest when my physicians had nothing more to offer me other than to keep me on high levels of pain medications.  I was not willing to wait for the answers.  Instead, I went in pursuit of them. 

 

Research turned up many treatments that people spoke of throughout the US and overseas.  I tried most of them, trust me.  I was treated with traditional medicine until my own physicians threw up their hands; I tried hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT); mud packs for pain; ketamine; integrative therapy in Frankfurt, Germany that included stem cell therapy, regional hyperthermia, & much, much more…; and finally found remission through a form of complementary medicine.

I am not here to say that my way is the right way or that it is something that you have to do.   I am not saying it is easy.  What I am saying is, “There is hope if you’re willing to seeking it…”

hope

noun

: the feeling of wanting something to happen and thinking that it could happen : a feeling that something good will happen or be true

: the chance that something good will happen

: someone or something that may be able to provide help : someone or something that gives you a reason for hoping

 

 

Finding hope while dealing with chronic pain or debilitating conditions can be difficult, but is necessary to regain your life.  Don’t allow your ‘hope’ to be stripped away from you during your time of need.  This is the very time that you DO need HOPE!

If you would like more information on the author, Traci Patterson, or how she got into remission please feel free to contact her.  Traci@AdvancedPathways.com

 

 

Traci’s journey with CRPS will be published in the near future.