Hypnosis for endometriosis

One of the common diseases that affect one in ten women in the course of their lives, and which in many cases is accompanied by pronounced pain, is endometriosis. Hypnosis is recognized by medical associations in Germany, although only for pain relief and addiction cessation, but still. And at this point, at the latest, we in gynecology should have become alert. We have patients who suffer from pain. Only hypnosis for endometriosis has not yet arrived in our practice and research.

Period pains are not normal

Many women with endo can tell you a thing or two about such comments as “Don’t make such a fuss, period pains are normal”. Unfortunately, period pain is often not recognized as a real complaint. The “bit of women’s stuff” can’t be that bad after all. But if women have to pop ibuprofen & Co like Smarties and still vegetate on the sofa with a hot water bottle tightly wrapped around them, then something is definitely wrong!

Depending on where the endometriosis, this almost but not exactly like real uterine lining tissue, is located, there is not only pain during menstruation. Endometriosis is now considered a general inflammatory disease that affects the whole body. There is a strong link to the bowel[ii]. Not only do endo patients have irritable bowel syndrome or ulcerative colitis more often than other women. No, the disease is accompanied by specific intestinal symptoms that increase over the course of the menstrual cycle. These bowel symptoms are often referred to as “endobelly.” Professor Melzer recently wrote an interesting article in Gynecologist about how sensitization of the intestinal nerves, can increase this abdominal pain even outside of menstruation.

Hypnosis for endometriosis reduces pain

Medical hypnosis, unlike stage hypnosis, is a process in which the patient remains awake and in control. Under guidance, she is placed in a relaxed trance state in which she changes her perception of pain, for example. In addition to acute pain relief, we can use hypnosis for endometriosis to dim down the pain memory. It is often spoken in hypnotherapy about erasing information from the subconscious, this is not quite correct. The memory of painful or traumatic experiences is not gone after hypnosis. But we can make these memories fade, so that they no longer affect the physical sensation in the here and now. These techniques in hypnosis, called “cleansing the subconscious,” which can also involve the body’s memory, have been very successful in relieving pain in the long term for my patients.

Hypnosis for endometriosis can do even more

In addition to the effect of pain reduction in acute cases and also in the longer term, we can also positively influence the immune system and improve mental resilience with targeted hypnosis. The patients become more resistant to stress and stressful situations. The fact that in most cases a strong relaxation sets in during medical hypnosis, which for example loosens the muscles in the pelvic and abdominal area, is actually only by-catch, but a very welcome one. Hypnosis is a therapeutic technique that goes far beyond classical relaxation methods.

I have had very good experiences with my endometriosis patients since 2020, not only in terms of reducing pain. My patients often come with the wish to take less medication, both painkillers and, for example, the pill. I think this is also very important, especially the frequent use of ibuprofen has a negative impact on the bacteria in our intestines, which we in turn need for the breakdown and elimination of estrogens (estroboloma). Also, the desire to understand if there is a subconscious meaning behind endometriosis causing such severe pain.

There have been many babies on the way that no one believed in anymore. We have also had several spontaneous pregnancies in women who were told that nothing would work without IVF & Co.

But the best thing for me is the feedback from patients who say they hardly need painkillers anymore and they can plan vacations or work appointments without constantly checking the cycle calendar because they can be more active during menses.

The image to my online group hypnosis is a bicycle; an image that came from hypnosis sessions with three different female patients. All three came up with the idea, “Oh I wish I could take a carefree, bike ride during menses instead of lying on the couch with a hot water bottle.” Possible for all three now, one of the ladies says it’s pensioner pace, but still.

A method that is used too little

Why hypnosis is so little used for endometriosis and also plays hardly any role in research is something I have been asking myself since I started working as a hypnotherapist. In January 2021, I led the first online group with endometriosis hypnosis, at that time with only 12 women. After three months I wrote to the ladies asking for feedback.

• Four women said: no more menstrual cramps, since pregnant, joy!
• Four women said: significantly less pain, also from the bowels and
• three women gave no feedback. Either no time or no improvement, I don’t know. One reported after several months and stated there had not been much change.

I would very much like to see research on this on a larger scale.

Now in the fall of 2023 the next online group will start and in the long run I dream of a program for pain relief in endometriosis that women can start self-directed at any time. The experiences from the individual sessions with patients, in which, in addition to the pain experiences, themes of boundary transgression and violation come up again and again, will be incorporated into this program.