Hypnosis in Clinical Practice: Beyond Pain Relief

Hypnosis may help patients manage pain and anxiety associated with medical conditions and treatments across a range of specialties.During the National Days of General Medicine (JNMG) 2026, Michel Ruel, MD, physician, trainer in hypnosis, and former head of the Department of Internal Medicine at the Hôpital Max Fourestier in Nanterre, France, used practical exercises to explain how this altered state of consciousness can help relieve pain and anxiety associated with illness and medical treatment across medical specialties.The Principles of HypnosisAlthough hypnosis is increasingly used in medicine, this altered state of consciousness continues to interest healthcare professionals because of its potential to improve the patient experience by reducing anxiety and increasing tolerance for medical procedures. However, the concepts underlying hypnosis are difficult to comprehend.“Patients have the resources they need to achieve the therapeutic changes they want, even if they are unaware of them. We, as healthcare professionals trained in hypnosis, draw on these resources and help patients define an achievable goal,” Ruel said. The idea may seem surprising, but “this is the fundamental principle of hypnosis,” she said.Hypnosis involves focusing attention (induction), becoming absorbed in an imaginary scene, and receiving therapeutic suggestions. The choice of words and phrasing is particularly important, often requiring healthcare professionals to adapt their communication styles.Changing the Perception of PainPain is one of the best-known and most extensively studied indications for the use of hypnosis. “When a painful stimulus occurs, mechanoreceptors transmit signals to the brain through nerves. The brain processes these signals in nine areas, some of which modulate pain intensity,” Ruel said.Functional MRI studies have shown that hypnosis can influence specific areas of the brain depending on the suggestions used. “Through hypnosis, the doctor redirects the patient’s attention, for example, by asking them to recall a pleasant experience. This can help inhibit certain brain areas involved in memories of pain in the past.”What can a healthcare professional trained in hypnosis offer patients in practical terms? Ruel illustrated several techniques using pain management as an example.One exercise involves asking patients to identify the area of the body where they feel pain. “This transforms pain, which is a subjective experience, into a ‘lump of flesh’ with its own weight and location. Then, we ask the patient to assign a color to that area, such as red, and say: ‘Take a paintbrush, watercolors, gouache, whichever you prefer, or a pencil. It’s important that you feel you have something in your hands.’”The patient is then asked to change the color of the painful area. After allowing the patient time to “repaint” the area in their imagination, perhaps from red to green, the healthcare professional asks: “How does it feel now? Are you satisfied, or would you like to continue?” When the patient is satisfied with the result, the pain is reduced. Ruel described this as an exercise in reification, which involves transforming pain into a tangible part of the body.The ‘Magic Glove’ for Adolescents Who Fear InjectionsOther exercises can be used in different clinical settings. During the conference, Ruel described using the “magic glove,” a classic hypnosis technique, to help adolescents who are afraid of being vaccinated.The exercise involves asking the young patient to imagine a glove, including its texture, material, and color. The glove is imagined to have the power to increase the ability of the skin to become numb by 10-fold, 100-fold, or even 1000-fold, Ruel explained. The patient then touches the area where the vaccine will be administered with the imaginary glove and closes their eyes.“When they’re ready, I administer the vaccine,” she said. Then I tell the patient to reverse the process to “switch off” the numbing effect by mentally removing the imaginary glove. “It’s very effective,” she said.Hypnosis differs from stage hypnosis. In response to audience members’ concerns that patients might lose their free will during a session, Ruel emphasized that patients remain aware of what is happening.“It’s nothing like that; the patient is always aware of what is happening. In fact, hypnosis is a form of self-hypnosis: Patients themselves decide whether or not to act,” she said.However, certain precautions are necessary. “Under hypnosis, you are conscious, but more receptive to suggestions. That is why it is important to consult a healthcare professional who works within their area of expertise: a dentist for dental problems, or a psychologist or psychiatrist for a phobia or depression.”Unexpected situations can arise during hypnosis. Ruel stressed that practitioners need appropriate training to recognize and manage these problems. They must know how to support patients through difficult moments with kind, reassuring words that convey that help is available to them.From Pain Management to BulimiaHypnosis can be used in many clinical situations, including in very young patients. When asked about its indications, Ruel listed several applications, beginning with the management of acute and chronic pain.Functional bowel disorders are also an important area of hypnosis. “Major international gastroenterology journals even list it as a first-line treatment,” she said.Hypnosis is also used for asthma, allergies, and dermatologic conditions. In oncology, it can help patients tolerate chemotherapy better, reduce nausea, ease apprehension and anxiety, and improve treatment adherence.In palliative care, hypnosis does not extend life expectancy but can provide greater comfort by reducing anxiety and distress. Other potential applications include the treatment of all kinds of addictions, “When practiced by a psychotherapist, hypnosis can be helpful for depression, panic attacks, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder,” Ruel said.Ruel also reported achieving instant results when using hypnosis to treat eating disorders, citing bulimia nervosa as an example. In pediatrics, potential applications include hyperactivity, anxiety, stress, school phobia, attention deficit disorder, bedwetting, difficulty falling asleep, and low self-esteem.This story was translated from Medscape’s French edition.