Clinical trial - Recorded hypnosis or relaxation reduced cancer pain and anxiety. Hypnosis also improved fatigue and sleep.

[Graham49]

Hypnosis and relaxation interventions for chronic pain management in cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial

Linda H. Eaton, Min Kyeong Jang, Mark P. Jensen, Kenneth C. Pike, Margaret M. Heitkemper & Ardith Z. Doorenbos

Supportive Care in Cancer volume 31, Article number: 50 (2023) Cite this article

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Abstract

Purpose

Nonpharmacological interventions such as hypnosis show promising evidence for the self-management of pain and pain-related sequelae among cancer survivors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a 4-week recorded hypnosis intervention in reducing pain intensity compared to a recorded relaxation intervention in cancer survivors with chronic pain.

Methods

Adult cancer survivors were randomly assigned to listen to hypnosis (n = 55) or relaxation recordings (n = 54) daily for 28 days. Primary (pain intensity) and secondary outcomes (pain interference, anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbance) measures were completed pre- and post-treatment. Treatment effects were evaluated using a series of analyses of covariance.

Results

Both hypnosis and relaxation provided significant and moderate to large improvements in the primary outcome and the secondary outcomes of pain interference and anxiety (ds = 0.44–0.88). The hypnosis group also experienced a moderate improvement in fatigue (d = 0.47) and sleep disturbance (d = 0.54). The effect size for pain reduction from pre- to post-treatment for the hypnosis group was d = 0.86 and for the relaxation group, d = 0.88. There were no significant between-group differences in primary and secondary outcomes from pre- to post-treatment.

Conclusions

The results support that recorded hypnosis and relaxation interventions are similarly effective in reducing pain and the pain-related sequelae of pain interference and anxiety among cancer survivors with chronic pain. The hypnosis intervention also reduced fatigue and sleep disturbance. Audio recordings can provide a convenient delivery method of nonpharmacological interventions to self-manage chronic pain.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03867760, registered March 8, 2019.

[JohnInTheMiddle]

"Both hypnosis and relaxation provided significant and moderate to large improvements in the primary outcome and the secondary outcomes of pain interference and anxiety."

Very small sample size and both arms delivered and intervention over the period of time. This is a poorly designed study with no control group.

The journal is apparently with Springer so it can't be awful. But no doubt all the therapy parasites will jump on this is a way to make money. If you are forced to do anything for a month that's sort of calming or something no doubt there will be some kind of an impact. Imagine if the same money was spent on developing exercise coaching for prostate cancer people.

[Graham49 in reply to JohnInTheMiddle]

Its only recordings. I doubt it is very expensive.

[JohnInTheMiddle in reply to Graham49]

I'm thinking of researchers salaries and study budgets. And the opportunity cost too.