Can Your Mind Control Pain?
Janet Salisz made medical history when three of her children were delivered by Caesarean operation using only hypnosis to control pain. Because she was allergic to pain-killing drugs, her doctor had advised her to learn hypnosis. ' Each time I did it, it became easier,' she says. Her surgeons, to convince sceptical medical colleagues, made a remarkable film of her second Caesarean, during which she can be seen to be free of pain and perfectly relaxed.
This film, the second of four on hypnosis, concentrates on its use to control pain. It looks at Janet's experience as well as two chronic pain patients, a London taxi-driver and a Los Angeles police officer.
It reports the work of scientists trying to understand the subtle psychological processes involved in hypnotic pain control and asks, does hypnosis work for just a few rare individuals or is it a technique that can be generally useful?
Film editors CHARLES REES , DAVE kino Film cameraman BRIAN HALL
Written and produced by MICHAEL Barnes