Press News - 17 October 2010
This Halloween, I will not need any new fright props. I already had my trip to the root canal dentist. Although it turned out fine, the anticipation of it was as scary as a winter visit from my in-laws. In the old days, root canals were considered a favorite literary comparison, along with trench warfare, emptying bedpans, and other things you least wanted to do with your time.
It's part of American history that itinerate lecturers would throw this dental allusion around as if they were Mark Twain trying to elicit groans of agony from the audience. Modern dentistry has changed in the meantime, but it must be a sign of personal decline that I have not moved beyond the old imagery in my mindset. Six little words: "The dentist will see you now" still throw me into a brief panic.
For this reason, I have taught myself a method of comforting hypnosis to arm me for the periodic office visit I am obliged to make for the sake of my health. As for me, if I have to go under the drill, I want to be as well prepared as possible for the unpleasant part. So while Inquisition imagery keeps bugging me, I have discovered that I don't have to be fully present for the treatment.
Better than gas, self-hypnosis lets you be in two places at the same time. On the one hand, there you are, seated in the Chair, body present, mouth stretched open. On the other hand, you take a little trip to another place, more peaceful, less stressful. Self-hypnosis is composed of three elements: relaxation, inner focus, and suggestion. All three work together and reinforce one another in a kind of synchronicity.
Okay, it is hard to relax when the dental equipment around you is pulsing like the machinery in a shoe factory, but relaxation rehearsals before you get to the dentist will empower you to use your "training" to speak to your muscles in the crucial moments. It's known as the practice effect.
I marched in with my tiny mp3 player, on which I had recorded the guided program my body/mind was familiar with. With soft earphones attached, I could journey off to my other inner world, filled with positive, pleasing images, and leave the little shop of frights behind.
In this new reality, your body doesn't know the difference between actually being at the beach and imagining being at the beach. Imagery rules. The inward focus, whether enjoying the sights and sounds of the beach, mountain, or waterfall, absorbs you just as a good novel takes you away to fantasyland. Bye, bye to the sights, sounds, and aromas of the dentist office. The peaceful "place" for each person is based on your particular good memory of a sanctuary of calm imagery. Some memories are realities and better than anything that can ever happen to you again. Suggestions, as select phrases are positive, (and you soon might notice a pleasant sensation beginning in your right arm.)
Many patients do get nervous when they go to the dentist and hypnosis to releive dental pain is becoming more commonplace. Hypnosis for pain relief is used in the UK both for dental pain, cancer patients or other pain releief. Pain relief hypnotherapy is a coping tool providing the patient with relief in order to cope with the pain. Hypnosis has also been used for birthing pain - hypnobirthing, providing mothers to be with pain relief. At The Harley Street Hypnotherapy Clinic we have numerous hypnotherapists that practice pain relief hypnotherapy at our central London hypnotherapy clinic on Harley Street. Pain relief and Pain management hypnotherapy is being practiced at the hypnotherapy clinic on Harley Street in London.
