Hypnosis could relieve pain in Somerset colectomy patients

Ana-Maria Toth launched Hypnopal to find an alternative to medication for pain relief following colorectal surgery

A clinical nurse researcher from Somerset has launched a study into whether hypnosis could benefit patients after colon surgery.

Ana-Maria Toth began her research project, Hypnopal, to see if patients could be offered something other than medication to help relieve pain.

Participants will receive three hypnosis sessions with their recovery monitored over the course of a year.

If proven beneficial it could lead to wider research across the country.

Ana-Maria, who works for the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, began researching alternative pain relief treatments when she moved from Musgrove Park Hospital's gastroenterology ward to a surgical ward.

She discovered the use of previous medical hypnosis in breast surgery and burn patients.

The current treatment for peri-operative pain is a combination of medicines including opioids, which are not well tolerated due to their numerous side effects.

"Pain management after an operation can be different for each individual patient, and we're always looking for ways to control pain, which makes it easier for patients to get up and about and get back to normal food and drink intake," said Ana-Maria.

'Optimistic'

"We're keen to find out the extent to which hypnosis could help with this."

The Hypnopal trial began in July 2023 and will monitor the recovery of 40 patients randomly allocated to control and "intervention" groups.

Data will then be collected on pain level, their length of stay in hospital and patient mobilisation.

Patsy Carter volunteered for Hypnopal after being offered the treatment in outpatient care following her colorectal surgery.

"People are so cynical about hypnosis," she said.

"They seem to think it's some sort of party trick or something you see in the theatre.

"It's not like that, you're not out of control and you know what's going on. I found it really helpful and quite surprising."

Patients randomly allocated to the intervention group will receive three hypnosis sessions on top of their regular medical treatment.

They are also given the tools to practice self-hypnosis once discharged from hospital.

"I found it very effective and I'm optimistic in my recovery. I've got an existing chronic pain condition and I've also found it's been really helpful for that," said Patsy.

Somerset NHS Foundation is currently the only trust in the country trialling hypnosis following colorectal surgery.

"My message to patients thinking about joining the hypnosis trial is that they really have nothing to lose as they'd still get the same level of care as before, but with the potential addition of hypnosis," said Ana-Maria.

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