A New Technique for Natural Pain Relief
Do you dread going to the dentist? Do you fear feeling pain while you are undergoing treatment at the dentist’s office? If you do, you are not alone; many people put off going to the dentist because they fear it. I read an interesting article today on how some dentists are now utilizing hypnosis as a form of natural pain relief in their offices.
Hypnosis
Hypnosis is an artificially induced trance state resembling sleep, characterized by heightened susceptibility to suggestion, according to Disctionary.com. Hypnosis has been studied extensively, and research has shown the technique to be effective for several physical causes, such as relieving the pain felt by patients undergoing bone marrow aspirations, childbirth, and burn-wound debridement, according to Wikipedia. Research has also shown hypnosis is effective for relieving the pain of chronic conditions as well as cancer and the post-surgery symptoms of nausea, anxiety, and pain associated with breast cancer surgery.
Hypnosis has also been used in the treatment of psychological conditions; the use of hypnosis in psychotherapeutic settings is known as hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy has been used to treat psychological conditions, such as sleep disorders, depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, eating disorders, and anxiety.
Hypnosis in the Field of Dentistry
According to the USC School of Dentistry, the utilization of hypnosis in the field of dentistry is nothing new, as it was first reported as being used in dentistry in Egypt over 3,000 years ago. However, the practice died out in dentistry when Horace Wells introduced ether and nitrous oxide to patients who were undergoing dental procedures.
The USC School of Dentistry is currently the only school to teach hypnosis to their dental students. Peter Stone, an associate professor of clinical dentistry and who also teaches Modern Hypnotism for the 21st Century Dentist, declares hypnosis has many benefits. First, hypnosis costs less than anesthesia when it is used in dental procedures, which is a definite benefit to patients.
Stone also asserts that when hypnosis is used in dental procedures, they go faster and more smoothly, which benefits both the dentist and the patient. Stone remarked, “The time spent learning hypnosis not only makes a visit to the dentist more pleasant for the patient, but it also enhances a practitioner’s productivity, providing a stress-free environment for all. Working with nervous patients makes it hard to carry out our job.”
Stone also says that dentists are able to teach 90% of their patients how to combat one’s fears and relax. He also says that a small percentage of patients possess the ability to control their bodily responses during dental procedures, such as bleeding and salivating and are able to achieve shorter recovery times.
Hypnosis may become more popular in dentists’ offices across the United States. Hypnosis helps reduce the pain and discomfort patients feel while undergoing dental procedures. If you are interested in trying hypnosis for dental work, ask your current dentist if he or she knows anyone who uses it.
Sources:
Dictionary.com
Wikipedia: Hypnosis
Medical News Today: USC School of Dentistry Teaches Hypnosis As An Alternative to Novocain
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