Understanding how clinical hypnosis can help rewire the brain’s response to chronic pain
Written by Anna Katherine Black, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
GI Psychology
Turning Down the Pain Volume
If you live with chronic pain, you know that it’s not just about the body—it’s about the whole experience: your brain, emotions, memories, and even your attention. Pain can feel all-consuming, but what if there were a way to “turn down” its intensity—like adjusting a volume dial?
Recent research in clinical hypnosis and neuroscience suggests that the brain has remarkable flexibility, or neuroplasticity, meaning it can change how it processes pain signals. Through awareness, imagery, and suggestion, hypnosis can help people retrain their brains to perceive pain differently—and more comfortably.
The Science of Pain: When the Volume Stays Too High
Pain is not simply a message from the body to the brain. It’s an interpretation—a complex conversation between your nervous system, your emotions, and your past experiences.
For some people, that conversation becomes overly sensitive. The brain keeps amplifying the signal, even when there’s no ongoing tissue damage. This is called central sensitization, a process where the nervous system becomes “turned up” and pain persists long after healing should occur.
The Mayo Clinic and NIH note that central sensitization plays a major role in many chronic pain conditions, including fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and chronic headaches (Mayo Clinic, 2023; National Institutes of Health [NIH], 2022).
Inside the “Control Room”: How Hypnosis Helps
Imagine your mind as a control room filled with dials and switches that regulate sensations, emotions, and physical responses. Pain is one of those dials. In chronic pain, that dial often gets stuck at a high setting.
Through clinical hypnosis, you learn how to enter that control room—safely, calmly, and intentionally—and gently adjust the volume.
Clinical hypnosis is an evidence-based treatment used in hospitals and clinics around the world. During hypnosis, a trained clinician guides you into a relaxed, focused state where the brain becomes more receptive to positive suggestions.
In this state, you might imagine lowering the pain dial, cooling or soothing the area of discomfort, or activating the body’s natural relaxation response. Over time, these mental “rehearsals” create new neural patterns—an application of neuroplasticity—that change how the brain interprets pain signals.
What the Research Shows
Numerous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated that hypnosis can significantly reduce pain intensity, improve mood, and enhance quality of life across many conditions—from back pain to cancer-related pain and GI disorders.
For example, a meta-analysis in PAIN found that hypnotic interventions reduced chronic pain severity and improved patients’ coping abilities (Jensen et al., 2015). The VA and APA both recognize clinical hypnosis as a validated approach for chronic pain management (VA Health, 2022; APA, 2021).
This research shows that hypnosis doesn’t “erase” pain—it teaches the brain to modulate it, making it more manageable and less intrusive in daily life.
Simple Strategies for Turning the Dial
While hypnosis sessions with a clinician are most effective, you can begin building awareness and self-regulation skills today.
Try these steps:
- Anchor relaxation: Pair your breath with a calming word like “ease” or “soften.” Repeating this daily helps retrain your nervous system toward safety and comfort.
- Notice without judgment: When pain arises, take a slow breath and simply notice its presence. Observing it calmly begins to quiet the brain’s alarm system.
- Visualize your control room: Imagine a room in your mind where you see a dial labeled “pain.” Picture gently turning it down to a more comfortable level.
Takeaway
Pain is real. It’s a signal that something in your system needs attention—but it’s also modifiable. Through clinical hypnosis, awareness, and compassionate guidance, it’s possible to retrain your brain and turn the volume down on chronic pain.
Your body has the capacity to change. You have the ability to regain control.
To learn more about evidence-based approaches for pain management and the mind–body connection, explore our resources, schedule a free consultation, or reach out at admin@gipsychology.com.
References
American Psychological Association. (2021). Hypnosis for pain management. https://www.apa.org
Cleveland Clinic. (2024). Hypnosis for chronic pain management. https://my.clevelandclinic.org
Jensen, M. P., Adachi, T., & Hakimian, S. (2015). Brain oscillations, hypnosis, and hypnotizability: Toward an integrative model. PAIN, 156(10), 1643–1653.
Mayo Clinic. (2023). Chronic pain: Symptoms and causes. https://www.mayoclinic.org
National Institutes of Health. (2022). Chronic pain and central sensitization. https://www.nih.gov
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2022). Clinical hypnosis for chronic pain management in veterans. https://www.va.gov