An interesting Good Friday!
Medical intervention plus Hypnosis = Good outcome!
Mary, not her real name, was a patient of mine with lymphoma. On a Good Friday, I heard that she was having trouble moving her legs. This suggested a blockage in her spinal cord that may require radiation treatment. This was before CT scans were available and so she had a procedure called a lumbar myelogram. This was unsuccessful and required a cervical myelogram.
What’s a cervical Myelogram?
This involved having the patient face down and tilted up. To perform this a needle would be inserted below her ear and in to the spinal fluid so dye could be injected. The radiologist had told her that she must be very still during the entire procedure or the needle might damage her spinal cord. I was in the procedure room with Mary.
Could guided imagery help Mary?
She was quite anxious. As I had only recently begun my hypnosis training, I did not consider att
empting my first hypnosis session in an emergency situation but thought I might be able to help her with some visualizations to distract her. I felt comfortable with doing that. I sat opposite her and started the guided visualization. This consisted of images of walking through a field beside a bubbling stream, with birds singing and clouds in the sky. I mentioned the warmth of the sun and the coolness of the water in the stream. I just kept talking and the use of imagery for the entire procedure, never once thinking that this could be or was hypnosis.
During this whole time, Mary had her eyes open. I do not remember how long the whole procedure took.
Mary has a pleasant surprise!
When the radiologist had finished, he removed the needle and said
“You can move now”.
Mary replied, “No I can’t.”
When asked by the radiologist “why not?” she replied
“You told me not to move as if I do my spinal cord might be damaged and I am still waiting for you to start.
Although she had had her eyes open the entire time, she was not aware that the procedure had finished, and time, for her stood still.
Guided Imagery versus hypnosis
Was this only a guided visualization or hypnosis?
At the time, I had not induced hypnosis in anyone. I directed a guided journey with eyes open, not expecting hypnosis. For my patient it was something that helped her through that procedure despite what name you use.
All patients having an uncomfortable procedure should experience that level of relaxation and comfort.
Intervention in the Cancer Patient
For many people one of the many issues that can cause distress is the diagnostic and interventional procedures that they have. Biopsies under radiology (ultrasound and CT) can be
- anxiety producing,
- uncomfortable and sometimes
- a little painful.
Preparation for a procedure is paramount!
Being prepared for the procedure with advice about what you are having is good preparation. A passing comment that you will be having a biopsy of some organ tomorrow with no discussion of what is involved can cause anxiety. Often if this information is given by a more junior doctor who may not understand what is happening and what will happen. During training, one does not get to see all procedures and as you progress during your career, new procedures become available.
Pre-procedure medication or self-hypnosis
Often for the procedure you can give some form of preoperative medication orally, and give IVI sedation to reduce your anxiety. Before general anaesthesia was available, hypnosis was used in surgery in some places with excellent results, but the ability to use anaesthesia with its 100% efficacy and no need to wonder “Is it going to work?” has meant that hypnosis has fallen away in its use for major surgery. Many articles are now appearing showing that hypnosis, including self-hypnosis, is able to reduce anxiety, procedure time and even reduce costs.