Phantom pain, amputee

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Taylor Sherman on January 23, 2009 at 12:27pm

Hey Marcia,

You might get better results if you re-post this in the main forums.

The hypnosis trainers/instructors forum isn't frequented as much and might not be immediately seen by everyone :)

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Heron Saline on January 23, 2009 at 1:05pm

Hi Marcia,

I haven't worked with any folks with amputations nor "phantom pain" myself, but hold a certification in Hypnotic Anesthesiology and am very experienced in Medical Hypno and Sensation Management.

I would want some more specific information to be clearer on what he is and isn't experiencing. Here are some of the questions that come up immediately for me on reading your intro description of this client:

*Is the phantom pain consistent or varying for him in terms of, say, intensity? time of day/night? relation to other stress level/rest?

*are there any apparent triggers to the pain experience you can identify?

*What is the client's relationship to the experience (sickness? accident? other?) that led to the amputation being needed? Is it resolved or is there emotional trauma currently? How long has he had the amputation?

*What happens with his breathing when he pays attention to or notices the pain? (Find this out by observing without mentioning that you're paying attn to his breathing, asking him only to put his attention on the pain, and then to put it elsewhere, etc... then after you observe--does he hold his breath? does it become more shallow of deeper? slower? faster?--then ask him what he notices about his own breathing when his attention is on the pain or off the pain?

*How much is he "in his story" , i.e. hypnotised by the story that amputees in general, or that he specifically, feel phantom pain? Is he attached for any reason to that story if it is running for him? For instance does he get compassion from being "in" that story and recounting it to others a lot? (Possibly not, and I'm not being flip about the reality and truth of his experiences, but if indeed he is running such a story, he'll likely "live it out" and experience the pain so then it needs to be replaced by another story where he gets to be comfortable and happy and relaxed in his body and still gets attention/compassion/care/whatever other good thing to replace the "pain" story...)

*In your sessions, start to deliberately refer to it as "sensation" rather than "pain"--this framing will support a change in relationship to it, such as noticing nuances of the sensations and categorizing them as "weird" or "cool" or warm or hard or pulsating or whatever instead of just judging them as "Pain". Again, I'm not criticizing or challenging that it HURTS, just saying that if you focus on it as "hurt" or pain, you magnify that rather than diminishing it.... don't think about pink elephants, right...?? The framing of the sensations as "pain" may be TRUE, but are they HELPFUL!?!?!

and on and on,

good luck, I wish you great sessions and even better results,

Heron

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Marcia on January 23, 2009 at 10:18pm

You absolutely ROCK!!
thank you soooo much for the imput!! I will DEFINATELY be using your thoughts.
He has contacted me by telephone, from Riverside Calif. - Cancer in the hand and lower arm- amputation 3 years ago- partially managed by percocette and morphine. tired of the drugs- needs clarity of mind and quality of life. Has actually begun playing drums again... ONE handed... for weddings and the like. Very motivated for finding an alternative.....
thanks and I will be in touch!!!
Marcia

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Michelle Braun on January 23, 2009 at 6:03pm

Hi Marcia,

You might check to see if anyone in your area does mirror therapy. It is really straight forward and I suppose you could do it once researching the procedure. It was developed here in San Diego:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=mirror+therapy&btnG=Go...

peace,
Michelle

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Marcia on January 23, 2009 at 10:23pm

Mirror like NLP mirroring?
we are quite rural and I am the only hypnotherapist in the book.
I will take some time and look at the link you included.
thanks for your time. I appreciate your imput.
Marcia
P.S. I like the eyeball!!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Marcia on January 29, 2009 at 5:36pm

thank you for your thoughts. I checked out the mirroring technique and am having had a friend actually try it .She has promised to continue and let me know how this is working for her. Thanks again.
Marcia

▶ Reply to This