Enhancing the use of hypnosis in medical practice.

Hypnosis was recognized as a legitimate medical tool by the British Medical Society in 1955 and by the American Medical Association in 1958. Furthermore, it has been reported as a useful part of the treatment of medical issues including asthma, burns, chest pain, child birth, hypertension, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, obesity, smoking cessation, stress-related and migraine headaches, and shortness of breath. Hypnosis also helps patients reduce chronic pain and acute pain associated with medical procedures such as surgery (Udolf, 1987; Hilgard & Hilgard, 1994; Olness & Kohen, 1996; Anbar, in press). Nonetheless, use of hypnosis is not widespread within standard medical practice. An upcoming issue of the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis (AJCH) will be devoted to enhancing the use of hypnosis by the medical community. We invite submission of manuscripts on topics surrounding this issue. Many questions come to mind regarding some of the relevant problems that may be addressed. For the purpose of discussion, I have divided these into three major areas: Promotion, new clinical and educational endeavors, and economic and administrative development that might enhance the use of hypnosis.