Hypnosis for surgery

ANAESTHETISTS are increasingly turning to hypnosis and other relaxation techniques to help those who have a fear of needles.

Needle phobias affect as many as one in 10 people, causing significant anxiety for patients.

It also causes significant challenges for treating doctors.

To combat the challenge a small but growing number of anaesthetists have started to use hypnosis and relaxation techniques, said Dr James Griffiths, a consultant anaesthetist at Melbourne’s Royal Women’s Hospital.