Biomedical subjects

A A Levitan

Publications and source records attributed to A A Levitan.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Hypnotizability and hypnoanalgesia: hypnotizability of patients using hypnoanalgesia during surgery.

We administered the Stanford Hypnotic Suggestibility Scale (Form A) (SHSS:A) to 10 patients from a population of 20 who had undergone surgery in the previous 10 years using hypnoanalgesia as the sole or principal analgesic agent. Time since surgery ranged from 2 days to 10 years. Scores on the SHSS ranged from 5 (medium susceptibility) to 12 (high susceptibility) with a mean of 8.6, significantly higher than the SHSS:A normative group (p less than .001). The relationship between severity of surgery and the use of hypnoanalgesia as the sole or principal analgesia was significant for our patient population (N = 20) but not for our patient sample (N = 10).

Adult↗

PubMed1992

The use of hypnosis with cancer patients.

Hypnosis has proven to be extremely valuable in the treatment of cancer patients. Specific applications include: establishing rapport between the patient and members of the medical health team; control of pain with self-regulation of pain perception through the use of glove anesthesia, time distortion, amnesia, transference of pain to a different body part, or dissociation of the painful part from the rest of the body; controlling symptoms, such as, nausea, anticipatory emesis, learned food aversions, etc.; psychotherapy for anxiety, depression, guilt, anger, hostility, frustration, isolation, and a diminished sense of self-esteem; visualization for health improvement; and, dealing with death anxiety and other related issues. Hypnosis has unique advantages for patients including improvement of self-esteem, involvement in self-care, return of locus of control, lack of unpleasant side effects, and continued efficacy despite continued use.

Female↗

PubMed1991

Hypnosis in the 1990s--and beyond.

For this Presidential Address, I accepted the challenge to discuss my perception of the future directions of hypnotherapy. I believe that the next decade will bring increased attention to the mind/body relationship and how hypnosis can be most effectively employed in this area. As an oncologist, one of the most exciting areas of current research is in psychoneuroimmunology. The role of communication in the practice of the health sciences is receiving more emphasis. Training in hypnosis is helpful in recognizing spontaneous trance states which may modify the effects of "nocebos." The use of hypnoanesthesia for surgery would be ideal in third world and developing countries. I believe there will be increased interest in the use of hypnosis in self-care, in the forensic area, and in the use of self-hypnosis by the general population. Finally, I expect that in the next decade the ASCH and SCEH will cooperate more closely in many areas of significance to hypnosis.

Forecasting↗

PubMed1986