Clinical management of needle-phobia patients requiring acupuncture therapy

Both acupuncture and hypnosis have their distinct applications in the healt h profession, but combining acupuncture therapy with hypnosis has rarely be en done for the purpose of therapeutic treatment, perhaps because few clini cians have proper training in both disciplines. For needle phobic patients, acupuncture treatment can be a dreadful experie nce, as multiple needles are usually used. It is stressful for both clinici ans and patients when the patients are put in an extremely apprehensive sta te. Our research for combining both acupuncture and hypnosis has revealed t hat synergy does exist in both, and that hypnosis does augment the effect o f acupuncture, resulting in better treatment outcomes. Since many acupuncture patients who are needle phobic do not return for fur ther treatment even though acupuncture has rendered good therapeutic result s for them, stress reduction with hypnosis is, therefore, a welcome complim entary adjunct that would enable them to return for further needed acupunct ure treatment if and when the factor of fear of the needle is removed.