Could hypnosis be an alternative to medication to relieve acute toothache? There are already dozens of studies on this topic, and a systematic review confirms promising evidence that hypnosis can help relieve toothache.
“Hypnosis offers a possible alternative to conventional pain medication that can be used relatively easily by a trained professional,” write study authors led by Anushka Erin Mertz of the University of Bern in Switzerland.
Dentists strive to provide their patients with safe, effective and pain-free treatment, so acute pain relief is vital. Local anesthetics and analgesics are commonly used to treat acute pain; however, there are many contraindications such as allergies, intolerances and reactions. Some patients need alternative options.
Previous studies have shown that hypnosis has a positive effect on treatment and significantly reduces pain during surgery and postoperative pain. The term “hypnosis” is often used to generically describe various hypnotic techniques that result in a state of focused attention and concentration. Hypnosis can have three components: absorption, dissociation, and suggestibility.
Hypnosis can be used as an aid to local anesthesia and to improve the effectiveness of other methods of pain relief. It has been the subject of over a dozen clinical studies, which have been the focus of a new systematic review and meta-analysis.