Burns Patient use of Hypnosis for Pain Experience

The results generally supported the prediction that pain and anxiety would increase less or decrease more from baseline to post-surgery in the RIA group compared to the control group. On average, pain and distress decreased for the group who used the RIA recording and increased for those who had treatment as usual. In particular, 38% of patients in the RIA group experienced a pain decrease of 2 points or more on the pain VAS, compared with only 15% in the control group. For the distress VAS, 42% of patients in the RIA group experienced a decrease of 2 or more points, compared to just 9% in the control group. No effects were identified for medication consumption. No differences between the groups were identified by nurse ratings of patient pain and distress. Nurse observations of pain and distress were generally moderately and significantly positively correlated with patient ratings. The nurses tended to underestimate both measures but were more accurate with pain than distress. When predictors of change in pain and anxiety within the RIA group were explored, several influential variables were identified. Baseline distress was found to be predictive; higher baseline ratings were associated with greater decreases in distress in the RIA group. The number of practice sessions was also predictive; the more a patient in the RIA group practiced, the more their pain and distress decreased. TBSA was associated with the number of practice sessions; the larger the burn, the less the patient practiced. Age was associated with baseline pain and distress; older patients reported less pain and distress than younger patients.