Medical hypnotherapy; even in a tertiary care setting a promising treatment

Authors

  • Vanessa B. Bastek Department of Social Pediatrics, Beatrix Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Netherlands http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1610-9540
  • Elroly M. Groeneveld Department of Social Pediatrics, Beatrix Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Netherlands
  • Michel J. van Vliet Department of Social Pediatrics, Beatrix Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Netherlands

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3291.ijcp20221065

Keywords:

Pediatrics, Children, Hypnotherapy, Tertiary care center, Pain management

Abstract

Background: Medical hypnotherapy has shown to be an effective treatment in specified conditions such as abdominal pain or headache. Since 2016 the Beatrix children’s hospital, a tertiary care center, offers medical hypnotherapy for a high variety of complex symptom disorders in pediatric patients.

Methods: This retrospective COHORT study analyzed the characteristics of pediatric patients treated with medical hypnotherapy in a tertiary care center as well as the effectiveness of the treatment.

Results: 214 patients with complex chronic symptoms were treated with medical hypnotherapy. 48% Percent of all patients referred had more than one symptom and 59% of them had had their symptoms for over a year. An overall improvement of symptoms was achieved in 76% of all patients.

Conclusions: Medical hypnotherapy seems an effective treatment for patients with multiple chronic and complex symptoms even in a tertiary clinical setting.

Author Biography

Vanessa B. Bastek, Department of Social Pediatrics, Beatrix Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Netherlands

I have done this research during my final phase of my master of science (medicine) in Groningen (Netherlands). Currently, I am working in Germany but I still have close connections to the UMCG (university medical center groningen).

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Published

2022-04-25

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Original Research Articles