UW researchers find hypnosis based therapy reduces pain after spinal cord injury

Six weekly, remote therapy sessions that combined hypnosis with cognitive therapy significantly reduced pain intensity, compared with usual clinical care, among patients with spinal cord injury. These results are reported in a new study at the University of Washington School of Medicine. 

 “Not only did the study show that this treatment is effective, but unlike most medications used for pain, it is a treatment with many positive side effects, like improved sleep and a greater sense of self-control,” said senior author Mark P. Jensen, professor of rehabilitation medicine. “I think that, based on the evidence, including the side-effect profile, this is the first treatment that people with chronic pain should be offered.” 

The findings are published in the April 28 issue of Neurology.

In addition to senior author Mark P. Jensen, the study includes several faculty members from the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at UW Medicine. First author Charles Bombardier is a UW Medicine psychologist and professor of rehabilitation medicine. The therapy sessions were delivered remotely by phone or via Zoom by coauthor M. Elena Mendoza, a research assistant professor and hypnosis specialist. 

For more details about this study, visit the UW Medicine Newsroom story, “Hypnotic cognitive therapy eases pain of spine injuries.”