Anesthesia vs. Hypnosis

Anesthesia has proven to be a very useful innovation when it comes to modern-day medicine. It has allowed for the completion of some very complex procedures. In surgeries such as a facelift and liposuction, anesthesia is used to control pain, blood flow, blood pressure, breathing and even the heart rate of a patient. The classification of anesthesia is based on the part of the body and size of the area to be impacted by the surgical procedure.

Types of Anesthesia and its Effects

There are currently three types of anesthesia available to patients:

• Local Anesthesia – This is the type of anesthesia used when dealing with smaller parts of the body. In this case, the patient is injected at the part of the body where the surgery will be performed. Patients are usually awake during the use of this anesthesia. It is often used when treating or dealing with simple surgeries.
• Regional Anesthesia – This type of anesthesia is used to control the pain in surgeries involving larger areas of the body. It is further classified as epidural and peripheral. It is injected at the peripheral nerve to control the pain. When this anesthesia is introduced close to the spinal cord, it can be used to control regions of the body such as the legs and stomach. Regional anesthesia is used for the face, arms or hand.
• General Anesthesia – This anesthesia alternative renders the patient unconscious by taking out the brain and the entire body. It is usually delivered by injecting it intravenously into a vein or by inhalation. There have been instances when patients have found it hard to recollect events which occur before the procedure.

The use of anesthesia has seen some side effects as there have been complaints from different customers after the use of the drug. The reasons have been unclear but certain patients have woken up suddenly during surgical procedures. Others have experienced temporary paralysis while simultaneously feeling the pain of the procedure. These types of stories are gory and sometimes could be the cause of fright for so many people. These stories have scared a lot of people away from the use of anesthesia for surgeries. In the search for an alternative means, a lot of people have opted for hypnosis as a pain blocker for surgical procedures.

Hypnosis Instead of Anesthesia

Hypnosis may sound like something out of a crime novel but it can be quite beneficial. Certain scientists have even gone further to refer to hypnosis as a "modified state of consciousness". This is due to the fact that the patient is not fully induced to sleep but controlled to focus on other things which may make them happy or feel pleasant. Hypnosis is known to seemingly distract the brain so that it doesn't pick up the sensation of pain. This kind of treatment is known to have different effects on people. However, it is capable of greatly reducing the pain in certain types of people and may be perfectly capable of being used as an anesthetic.

In order to administer hypnosis during surgery, it is essential that a professional hypnotist is present with the patient throughout the procedure. The hypnotist will keep the patient hypnotized for the duration of the procedure using verbal cues and mental imagery. The presence of the hypnotist as another party to a surgical operation has proven to be a challenge and a scenario which a lot of doctor do not look forward to. It unbalances the normal flow of surgery and some medical practitioners have referred to it being distracting.

Despite all of this, the use of hypnosis in surgical procedures has seen an increase in European countries such as France, Germany, the U.K and Belgium. It should be noted that these countries are known to have the highest number of hypnosis practitioners. Also, research has shown that hypnosis is capable of helping with conditions such as obesity and anxiety. In general, hypnosis seems to be very beneficial in treating a variety of ailments and it has worked as impressively as anesthesia. It shouldn't be seen as an innovation without its own drawbacks. Supporters and users of hypnosis are advised to proceed with caution when trying out hypnosis as an anesthesia.

The United States has not Adopted Hypnosis during Surgery

The concept and appeal of hypnosis are alluring and there has been some proof that hypnosis has proven effective in blocking pain for certain patients. There has also been a lot of evidence to support the benefits of hypnosis. Regardless of its usefulness, it's a concept which has only been applied to minor surgeries. It hasn't proven effective enough to handle complex and lengthy surgical procedures such as brain surgery or heart surgery. A good amount of testing and research still needs to be done to determine the exact levels and types of hypnosis that will provide the best results. The United States has not followed suit with the stance of European nations on hypnosis. A lot of American doctors have considered the results derived from hypnosis to be too inconsistent to be used as an anesthetic for surgeries. Not all patients respond the same way to hypnosis procedures. Also, hypnotherapy is a process which is known to take time to induce and this extra time will make the entire surgery last even longer.