Controlling Body Temperature with Deep Heat Hypnosis
In my work in this field, I have had the absolute pleasure of seeing some truly remarkable applications of hypnosis.
On my self-hypnosis seminars, when people create self-induced anaesthesia, we often notice a difference in colouration in the localised area. It happens as a bi-product of the other aims of the session, however such things can be done volitionally too.
One of the other ways of using the ability to control flow of blood is to be able to control, to some extent, body temperature. Which is an application I have used a great deal within my running training and recovery.
We have all experienced this kind of body temperature fluctuation effect before on an involuntary basis; perhaps you have blushed, or when you got sexually aroused, or as a response to something fearful (cold response).
This is an area that benefits from a good level of research, which has shown that anybody can gain a pretty impressive level of control over body temperature in a fairly brief time, and without much difficulty.
Learning to Use Hypnosis to Aid Recovery by Controlling Body Temperature
The trick here is to practice and condition the response before you start to use the hypnosis track to advance it and get it to become a cue-controlled skill to use whenever you choose. So this also has some instruction on how to do that prior to using the hypnosis session.
Even though I stated that I use it for enhancing recovery and relieving pain in joints and muscles, I have also used it to warm my throat when I have had a cold or flu.
This process can be used by anyone wanting to warm parts of the body that feel cold, for safely warming the entire body in cold scenarios, or for enhancing the healing of wounds and other injuries by increasing blood supply to the affected area.
I have also seen this kind of application used in studies for shrinking warts and tumours by restricting blood supply to a specific area. It also has applications for enhancing sexual response or controlling a migraine headache. What’s more, and as crazy as it sounds, hypnotically suggested hyperthermia has even been used to control cancer metastases (August, 1975).
Studies That Support This Ability Using Hypnosis:
I read lots of blogs and lots of articles where people claim that evidence supports what they are writing about, and I find it frustrating if they do not quote some of that evidence. So here is a list of some studies to get you started in case you wished to explore this topic in more depth. They are starting points, and there are plenty more studies too.
Barabsz, A. F. & McGeorge, C. M. (1978) Biofeedback, mediated biofeedback and hypnosis in peripheral vasodilation training. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 21: 28-37.
Clarke, R. E. & Forgione, A. G. (1974) Gingival and digital vasomotor response to thermal imagery in hypnosis. Journal of Dental Research, 53: 792-796.
Dikel, W & Olness, K. (1980) Self-hypnosis, biofeedback, and voluntary peripheral temperature control in children. Pediatrics, 66: 335-340.
Wallace, B. & Kokoszaka, A. (1992) Experience of peripheral temperature change during hypnotic analgesia. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 40: 180-193.
Hypnotically suggested hyperthermia has even been used to control cancer metastases – August, R. V. (1975) Hypnotic induction of hyperthermia: an additional approach to postoperative control of cancer recurrence. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 18: 52-55.
If nothing else, this audio session is going to equip you with an amazing tool to use and convince yourself of the power of your own mind. Enjoy it.