Pain and The Role of Hypnotherapy

Lets look at a few Pain Myths vs. Surprising Truths …and how hypnotherapy and mindfulness may help.

Many people quietly struggle with chronic pain and sometimes feel misunderstood. Here are a few common myths and the truths that may offer some reassurance.

Myth. ‘If nothing shows on a scan, the pain isn’t real.’

Truth. Pain is always real. It’s a symptom, and you are the expert in your own experience.

Myth. ‘ I just need to toughen up and power through.'

Truth. For many people, pushing through can sometimes make chronic pain worse. A gentler, more compassionate approach can sometimes be far more effective.

Myth ‘Only painkillers can help.’

Truth. Managing chronic pain is usually multifaceted and collaborative. You’re the expert in your pain and in what helps you. Things like how much rest and relaxation & how much movement and exercise are things that are your area of expertise.

Myth. ‘Pain always means damage.'

Truth. In chronic pain, the alarm system can sometimes become oversensitive. Pain can be loud even when tissues are safe. It’s about protection, not necessarily injury.

Myth ‘Other people cope better, so I must be weak’

Truth. Pain is a personal, complex experience. How someone else manages has no bearing on your strength, resilience, or worth. Chronic pain is a significant health challenge & definitely not a character flaw.

Myth. There’s nothing I can do.

Truth The brain can learn new ways to reduce pain, calm the alarm system, and create comfort. Change is possible.

Research suggests that hypnotherapy can help with the management of pain by influencing how the brain processes pain signals, rather than by 'switching pain off.' Studies using brain imaging show that hypnosis can alter activity in areas of the brain involved in attention, emotion, and sensory processing, which may reduce our perceived intensity or distress associated with pain. Hypnotherapy is thought to work by helping people focus differently, relax the nervous system, and change unhelpful expectations or fear around pain. Importantly, it is used as a complementary approach, supporting medical treatment rather than replacing it, and its effectiveness varies from person to person.

Your pain is valid, and support is available. If you’d like to know more, you’re welcome to get in touch

for a friendly chat.