| If you are scheduled for breast surgery (biopsy, | | | | that may indicate a need for follow-up breast cancer |
| lumpectomy or mastectomy) or you are undergoing | | | | treatment can be extremely stressful for any |
| post-surgical breast cancer treatment, hypnosis is an | | | | woman. In our practice, hypnosis for breast cancer |
| excellent complementary therapy that can enhance | | | | surgery focuses specifically on this extreme stress. |
| the positive effects of various therapies.* Using | | | | The calmer you stay before the surgery, the more |
| hypnotherapy in combination with your medical breast | | | | resources your body has to heal itself as quickly as |
| cancer treatment will make you feel more | | | | possible. |
| empowered and in control of your care, and it will | | | | Follow-Up Treatment If Cancer Is Detected: If you |
| help you maximize your overall wellness. | | | | require follow-up radiation and/or chemotherapy as |
| The power of the subconscious mind can be a | | | | part of your breast cancer treatment, hypnosis can |
| potent ally in healing from surgery and recovering | | | | teach you how to feel more relaxed and manage |
| from breast cancer, for it is the subconscious mind | | | | your stress. A growing body of evidence suggests |
| that controls automatic body processes, including | | | | that chronic stress and the cascade of stress |
| immune function and pain perception. Additionally, the | | | | hormones it produces can interfere with the proper |
| subconscious mind is the source of all emotions, | | | | functioning of the immune system. An immune |
| which also makes hypnosis a logical choice for dealing | | | | system which is as healthy as it can be (given the |
| with the emotional aspects of breast cancer diagnosis | | | | specific treatment) is critically important during breast |
| and treatment. | | | | cancer treatment. |
| Hypnosis for breast cancer treatment can help with | | | | When we work with breast cancer clients in our |
| the following issues: | | | | practice, we teach them relaxation, self-hypnosis and |
| Pre-Surgical Preparation: Numerous studies in medical | | | | stress management techniques. We also teach our |
| journals have shown that people who prepare for | | | | clients how to use mental imagery to encourage their |
| surgery using hypnosis generally have fewer | | | | immune system to work together with their medical |
| complications, heal faster and have less | | | | therapies in order to maximize the benefits of their |
| post-operative pain. Hypnosis will help you feel calm, | | | | breast cancer treatment. For example, we may |
| relaxed and positive before, during and after surgery. | | | | teach a client to visualize her immune system |
| Usually, the hypnosis therapy is geared toward | | | | attacking and killing the cancer cells, or surrounding |
| making positive suggestions to your subconscious | | | | and transforming the cancer cells into something |
| regarding your surgery and its outcome, as well as | | | | harmless. The visualization work for each client's |
| teaching you how to effectively manage pre-surgery | | | | breast cancer treatment is always tailored to her |
| stress. | | | | needs and the way her imagination works. |
| When we see pre-surgical clients in our hypnosis | | | | If your breast cancer treatment creates side effects, |
| practice, we give them a CD to play before and | | | | including nausea, hypnosis can help you minimize |
| immediately after surgery (and with headphones | | | | those side effects. And if your breast cancer |
| during surgery, if their surgeon permits). The CD | | | | treatment creates body image issues, hypnosis can |
| contains soothing music, relaxing imagery and positive | | | | also help you feel good about your body again. Each |
| suggestions to reassure the client's subconscious mind | | | | woman is different, both in her needs and in her |
| that the surgery will go smoothly and that their body | | | | physical and emotional reactions to the breast cancer |
| will heal quickly, with as little discomfort as possible. | | | | treatment and its side effects. Accordingly, each |
| The results of pre-surgical hypnosis can be quite | | | | woman's hypnosis sessions will need to be tailored |
| amazing. Patients frequently report that they needed | | | | specifically to her requirements and goals. |
| very little pain medication and that they were back | | | | Whether you are scheduled to undergo breast |
| on their feet very quickly after surgery. I recently | | | | surgery to determine if you need follow-up breast |
| spoke with a client with whom I had worked before | | | | cancer treatment, or you are already undergoing |
| her major abdominal surgery. After her surgery, her | | | | breast cancer treatment, hypnosis can complement |
| surgeon told her he would order a narcotic pain killer. | | | | your medical treatment in multiple ways. |
| She told him to hold off on the narcotics because | | | | *Hypnosis is not a substitute for medical breast |
| she was not in much pain. In fact, she required only | | | | cancer treatment. Rather, it is an excellent |
| ibuprofen and she was up and walking around just | | | | complement to standard medical breast cancer |
| two hours after her surgery! Needless to say, her | | | | treatment. Hypnosis works with doctors, not against |
| doctor was amazed. | | | | them. Do not discontinue medical breast cancer |
| Any surgery can be stressful, but breast surgery | | | | treatment when you begin hypnotherapy. |