I was reading this n=1 study on the use of hypnosis in a person with PD. Hypnosis seems to have a high variability of effectiveness from person to person and not everybody is a good candidate for hypnosis, but these results are very impressive after just 3 weeks and 8 weeks. Unfortunately this study was done in 2013 and there were no follow up studies done in large groups. This does not make sense to me because the results were quite impressive, fast and did not require 20 years of testing to be approved by the FDA and it is available today! I also think that properly applied hypnotism has an excellent safety profile that is likely compatible with standard of care!
Here is a link to the study, which is easy and fast reading, so you can see exactly how impressive the results were :
If this had been a drug that produced these results, every PD patient in the world would be rushing to their neurologist to get a prescription.
It is also worth noting that the person in this case study was not having the desired improvements from the prescribed medications. Sound familiar? His reason for seeking this alternative treatment was mainly to get better sleep and possibly slow disease progression. Definitely sounds familiar!
Here are some relevant quotes from the case study :
>>> ' The results of this study suggest that clinical hypnosis may be a feasible treatment option for Parkinson’s patients. During this single case study, the patient experienced clinically significant improvements in rest tremor, depression, anxiety, sleep, pain, stiffness, and libido.
It is also worth noting that the patient reported complete satisfaction with treatment on a 10-point scale. He also reported practicing self-hypnosis at least once daily during the course of treatment, despite having a full-time job. Thus, suggesting that the treatment program was not overly demanding. After completing his second hypnosis session, Mr. A had this to say about the intervention:
' To experience the things that I’ve experienced in the last week, it’s been great… I’m sure amazed, and I guess, the level that it’s worked. I guess your hope is, it’s not going to do anything detrimental, but your hope is that you’ll get some benefit. And I think, in my wildest dreams, the things what I’ve been able to experience in the past week is just so much further and so much higher than what I thought would happen. '
Mr A. also indicated during his 8-week follow-up visit that his blood pressure during a recent check-up was 116/75, which he remarked was “the lowest in years” and was an improvement from 130/88 recorded at a preintervention check-up. '<<<
To me, given the high safety profile of hypnotism, what are the drawbacks to your neurologist or MDS recommending it to patients who are not responding well to standard of care? If you respond well to the therapy, the results seem like they could definitely improve your quality of life. After all, since there currently is no cure for PD, isn't treatment all about improving quality of life or is it??? I don't know what hypnotherapy cost, but can it be much more than a visit to the doctor's office?
I realize a study may involve a significant amount of subjectivity by the patient and possibly the researchers, but in the end, if it improves the patients quality of life, isn't that what really matters and nobody knows that better than the patient does! It may not work for every patient, but what does? If it works for some, it seems worth pursuing the research. Gosh, this seems like a study that would be perfect for MJFF to fund? Or as they said with B1, anyone can just take it and see if it helps, no need for a study!
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"what are the drawbacks to your neurologist or MDS recommending it to patients who are not responding well to standard of care?"
Well for one thing, it might make some people worse rather than better?
Haven't you seen enough reports of people being worse on melatonin or B1 to understand that there are very few if any interventions that offer significant upside potential with zero downside risk?
I have seen over a hundred reports on this forum of people having bad reactions or poor responses to the gold standard of treatment for PD, levodopa/carbidopa. Some people just do not tolerate it or do not get the desired response. You only have to look at the side effects of all of the drugs used for the treatment of PD to understand this truth. Nothing works for everybody and PD seems to be all about what works for you and it seems to be different for every person.
You are falsely quoting me, I never said hypnosis has zero downside risk. You just made that up on your own. Nothing has zero downside risk that is used for PD, even exercise because you can fall and seriously injure yourself or pull a muscle.
I'm pointing out an option that is considered safe by the Mayo Clinic when applied by a qualified professional and is available now, not 10 to 20 years down the road. It is worth having a discussion with your neurologist or MDS given this safety profile that is better than most if not all drugs prescribed for PD.
This is merely one currently available option for consideration for PwP if they are not getting the desired response to their current meds and it is safe according to Mayo Clinic. It seems like your neurologist or MDS is the ideal person to discuss this option with and the one who would have the resources to find and refer you to a qualified professional. The patient in the study was referred by his neurologist and was already on carbidopa levodopa + ropinirole. Why would his neurologist do that if he thought it wasn't safe? Here is the quote from the study:
>>> ' Mr. A was referred by his neurologist for consideration of hypnotherapy due to continued symptoms despite medications. ' <<<
Firstly, your mayo clinic link says nothing about parkinsons. You're surely aware that PD drugs have been extensively tested on PWPs before neuros start prescribing them.
By the time a PWP has been dx, their brain is pretty significantly impacted by PD even if their symptoms are mild, we know that because the estimates of DA neuron death (or dormancy ir you're an optimist) prior to dx rage from 50 to 90%. Consequently, even things GRAS need a cautious approach.
So what if an individual neurologist said it was safe? Have you ever jumped in to correct people that say that neurologists are useless money grabbers? Don't think I've seen you do so, yet suddenly one suggests something you agree with and his/her judgement is beyond any question and should he rolled out to every neuro on earth. If the same neurologist said High Dose Thiamine was a waste of time or even a bad idea, would you still trust their judgement implicitly? Melatonin?
For the record, I doubt it's likely to do much or any irreversible damage but I doubt it's likely to provide sustained benefit, either.
Roger Moore is a certified counselor and registered hypnotherapist with Palm Desert Hypnosis and can be FOUND IN THE Wellness Village where he has been since September 2019.
Thank you for those, Bolt! The first two tend to confirm the study I linked to. A 94% tremor reduction is impressive! What PwP with tremor wouldn't want that? The third study is important because dementia is found in AD, but also in PD.
This is why I think it is a discussion worth having with your neurologist or MDS if you are having symptom control issues as Mr. A was having and why his neurologist referred him for hypnotherapy.
I will surely have that discussion with hubby's MDS in June. Appreciate your searching and helping in improving PwP's lives. I am not sure if there is a qualified hypnotherapist close to us, but I will look for one if MDS approves it.
Some things never change and that is very good for your husband because that means he will always have you there looking for ways to improve his quality of life! He is a lucky guy to have you as his wife and best advocate!
It's part of the mind-body connection and I do believe hypnosis can help. I personally tried self-hypnosis through books I bought through Amazon, but you do need to be motivated and reinforce the process regularly. I also tried audio hypnosis and they also help and can be very relaxing.
I will not go to a hypnotist because I saw a horror movie where people were forced to do things against their will, and one went back to revenge on the hypnotist after death. Partially a joke but it made an impression while I was little.
I think it is a possible option to improve quality of life beyond what the current meds can do for some people. Keeping your options open seems like a reasonable idea for a disease that does not have an overabundance of those options.
Well they don't do everything that PwP would like them to do, but they can be life changing in some cases and that is important, but nothing wrong with keeping your options open.
I started clinical hypnosys por anxiety and improve sleeping. In these sessions you are not forced to do anything you don´t like to, like shown in the movies... After the first session I could lye on a hammock and do nothing for an hour (something I couldn´t done in several years). The doctor gives you the audio listened during the session, so you can re-listen it twice a day. When I wake up in the middle of the night, I listen to the audio for improve sleeping, and get asleep again...
So it sounds like it is offering you anti anxiety effects and helping you to sleep. Anxiety and insomnia are such common issues in PD and modern day life and hypnosis sounds like it can be useful for dealing with them effectively. Thank you for reporting your experience!
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Prism PD Study
Slowing the Progression of PD (adapted from a book)
