Hypnosis in a case of long-standing idiopathic itch

Objective: This article presents the results of a brief hypnosis treatment of a woman with chronic, idiopathic vaginal and anal itch. Methods: The pat ient was referred after 3 years of unsuccessful outcomes with standard topi cal and oral treatments prescribed by her family physician and three dermat ologists. Treatment consisted of five sessions of self-hypnosis training in techniques of relaxation, deepening, and imagery, and home practice with a n individualized instructional tape. Results: After treatment, the patient reported substantial tissue healing, confirmed by her treating physician, t hat coincided with significant reductions in her scores of itch intensity, itch-related sleep disruption, and distress from pre- to posttreatment. The se improvements continued at 4 months of follow-up, and the patient reporte d complete resolution of physical symptoms. Conclusions: The fact that thes e changes coincided with only minor improvements in general anxiety scores suggests that the resolution of the patient's itch condition was treatment- specific rather than the result of methodological artifact, participant rep orting bias, or a general sense of feeling better. These findings suggest t hat hypnosis is a cost-effective treatment for idiopathic itch conditions, especially those that are unresponsive to standard medical treatments.