Hypnosis has not always enjoyed a good reputation with the medical community. Because of the mystical magical image that is associated with hypnosis doctors often take it lightly. But the truth is doctors have limited ways of dealing with pain if they can't figure out the cause. In these situations hypnosis offers a solution that goes far beyond the bells, whistles and tricks you see in stage hypnosis. More and more often medical professionals are turning to hypnosis to help patients deal with chronic pain.

Pain is an inevitable part of life. In fact it can be argued that pain is a good thing. It tells us that we are alive. Pain is desirable in the sense that it tells us when something is wrong. If you accidentally put your hand on a hot stove it is good that you feel pain so you can quickly pull your hand away. If you didn't feel pain and pull your hand away the burning would destroy your hand.

If you fall off a ladder and break your arm you want to feel pain. The pain tells you to go to the doctor and have the bone set.

This type of pain is called acute pain. When we get acute pain, it tells us something is wrong. We go to the doctor. The doctor fixes the problem. The acute pain goes away. This is simple, straightforward textbook medical stuff.

But, more and more often, for lots of people the pain doesn't go away. Even after the doctor has fixed every problem that modern technology can identify sometimes the pain just does not go away. This type of pain is called chronic pain. If acute pain can be called good pain because it serves a purpose, you would have to call chronic pain bad pain. It just makes you feel bad. No good, healthy purpose. Just pain.

It is estimated that up to 50 percent of all doctor visits are for this type of chronic pain. The doctor either can't fix the problem or doesn't know what is wrong that needs fixing. This does not mean the patient is imagining the pain. It is very real. So what is the medical answer? Usually doctors resort to using prescription pain medications. Sometimes pain pills work but just as often they don't. Sometimes you end up using a heavier dose or a stronger prescription. But have you ever read all of the side effects warnings from heavy-duty pain pills? It is scary stuff, very scary stuff.

So how can hypnosis help? No matter how hard the scientists try to make pain a strictly physical thing it is not just your body that is in pain. Pain is as much a mental and emotional event as it is bodily. You may feel that your pain is in your back, neck, arm or leg but make no mistake about it. It is your mind that is registering the pain signal. Pain pills try to deal with the bodily part of pain but they don't do anything to help with the emotional and mental parts. Hypnosis can directly help with the mental and emotional parts.

By turning off or reducing pain signals hypnosis can help give people hope and a more meaningful life. By relaxing the patient and easing tension hypnosis can also help with the healing process. It is very difficult for someone to heal bodily when they are tense, nervous and totally wrapped up in pain. Suppressing the pain, anger and frustration can open up lots of new avenues for positive things to happen.

Hypnosis is not a miracle cure by any means but when you are in chronic pain every source of help and hope is welcome.