How Hypnotherapy Can Support Medical Treatment, Neurological Conditions, and Cancer Care

Medical treatments, long-term conditions, and hospital procedures can place a significant physical and emotional burden on individuals. Anxiety, pain, medication side effects, and fear of medical environments are common challenges that can negatively affect wellbeing and recovery. Increasingly, research suggests that hypnotherapy can play a valuable role as a complementary therapy, supporting patients alongside conventional medical care.

This article explores the current evidence for hypnotherapy in relation to medical procedures, pain management, cancer care, neurological conditions, and cognitive health.

Hypnotherapy and Medical Procedures

Medical and dental procedures often trigger heightened anxiety, which can increase pain perception and complicate recovery. Peer-reviewed research shows that hypnotherapy can significantly reduce procedural anxiety, distress, and perceived pain, while also lowering the need for medication during procedures.

A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found that patients receiving hypnosis during medical or surgical procedures experienced lower pain levels, reduced emotional distress, and required less medication compared with standard care alone (Montgomery et al., 2013). These effects are particularly relevant for individuals with hospital phobia, dental anxiety, or fear of needles.

By promoting relaxation and focused attention, hypnotherapy helps regulate the nervous system, making procedures more tolerable and improving the overall patient experience.

Pain Management and Recovery

Pain is one of the most extensively researched areas of clinical hypnosis. Large-scale meta-analyses show that hypnotherapy produces clinically meaningful reductions in acute and chronic pain, often exceeding outcomes seen with other psychological interventions (Milling et al., 2024).

In procedural and post-operative contexts, hypnosis has also been shown to reduce reliance on opioid and analgesic medication, supporting safer pain management and recovery (Chelly et al., 2025). Reduced pain and distress may further contribute to faster recovery and improved patient satisfaction.

Hypnotherapy in Cancer Care

Cancer treatment can involve intense physical symptoms and psychological distress. Research indicates that hypnotherapy may help alleviate treatment-related side effects, including pain, fatigue, nausea, anxiety, and emotional distress.

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have found that hypnosis can significantly reduce anxiety and symptom burden in cancer patients when used alongside standard medical treatment (Rajasekaran et al., 2005; Duván and Tweedie, 2017). Studies focusing on chemotherapy have shown that hypnosis may help shorten the duration and severity of treatment side effects, supporting greater comfort and quality of life during care.

Importantly, hypnotherapy is not proposed as a replacement for medical treatment, but as a supportive approach that addresses the mind–body interaction during illness.

Parkinson’s Disease and Neurodegenerative Conditions

Although research in neurodegenerative conditions is still emerging, preliminary studies suggest that hypnotherapy is feasible and acceptable for people living with Parkinson’s disease and related conditions.

Clinical studies and reviews indicate potential benefits for pain management, sleep quality, emotional wellbeing, and coping with symptoms (Elkins et al., 2013; Vescovelli et al., 2020). These improvements may contribute to enhanced quality of life, even when core neurological symptoms remain unchanged.

Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Cognitive Health

Hypnotherapy has also been explored in the context of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, particularly as a non-pharmacological intervention to support emotional wellbeing.

A scoping review of hypnosis in dementia care found that hypnosis is generally well-tolerated and may help reduce distress, anxiety, and behavioural symptoms in some individuals (Wawrziczny et al., 2022). Pilot studies involving people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers suggest hypnosis may also support emotional adjustment and relational wellbeing.

While hypnosis is not a treatment for cognitive decline itself, it may offer meaningful psychological and emotional support in a population where medication options are limited.

Memory and Cognitive Function

Related research in mild cognitive impairment and older adults indicates that hypnotherapy may indirectly support cognitive health by improving sleep quality, stress levels, and emotional regulation (Elkins et al., 2024). As sleep and stress are closely linked to memory and cognition, these findings suggest a potential supportive role for hypnosis in cognitive wellbeing.

Conclusion

The growing body of peer-reviewed research suggests that hypnotherapy can be a valuable adjunct to medical care, supporting patients with pain, anxiety, recovery, treatment side effects, and psychological wellbeing. Evidence is strongest in areas such as pain management, medical procedures, and cancer care, with promising emerging research in neurological and cognitive conditions.

As a non-invasive, low-risk intervention, hypnotherapy offers a compassionate and evidence-informed approach that addresses both physical symptoms and emotional experience, supporting the whole person, not just the condition.

Reference List

Chelly, J.E. et al. (2025) ‘Medical hypnosis decreases pain scores and opioid use in acute care’, Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(13).

Duván, T. and Tweedie, R. (2017) ‘The effect of hypnosis on anxiety in patients with cancer: a meta-analysis’, Supportive Care in Cancer, 25(6), pp.1957–1967.

Elkins, G. et al. (2013) ‘Feasibility of clinical hypnosis for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease’, International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 61(2), pp.172–182.

Elkins, G. et al. (2024) ‘Hypnosis intervention for sleep disturbances in individuals with mild cognitive impairment’, Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

Milling, J. et al. (2024) ‘Hypnosis and the alleviation of clinical pain: a meta-analysis’, Pain, 165(2), pp.245–259.

Montgomery, G.H. et al. (2013) ‘Hypnosis for surgical and medical procedures: a meta-analysis’, Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 36(1), pp.114–128.

Rajasekaran, M., Edmonds, P.M. and Higginson, I.L. (2005) ‘Systematic review of hypnotherapy for treating symptoms in terminally ill adult cancer patients’, Palliative Medicine, 19(5), pp.418–426.

Vescovelli, F., Ruini, C. and Guse, T. (2020) ‘Hypnosis as a complementary therapy for promoting wellbeing in neurodegenerative disorders’, Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 49, 102292.

Wawrziczny, E., Buquet, A. and Picard, S. (2022) ‘Use of hypnosis in the field of dementia: a scoping review’, Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 98, 104575.