The mystery of the mind-body connection.
The gist of the allergy removal technique. Briefly, the allergy removal technique involves firstly telling the subconscious mind in a straightforward and logical manner that the immune system has made a mistake in recognizing a benign substance as being toxic. It then informs the subconscious that it is safe to correct this mistake and to assures it that the substance is not harmful. This is followed by visualizations of reaction-free exposure to the formerly allergenic substance and a repetition and emphasis that the substance is "okay" and can be comfortably and naturally in contact with the body.
Allergy. 2001 Aug;56(8):734-40.
Skin reactions to histamine of healthy subjects after hypnotically induced emotions of sadness, anger, and happiness.
Zachariae R, Jorgensen MM, Egekvist H, Bjerring P.
Psycho-oncology Research Unit, Aarhus University Hospital, Barthsgade 5,3 DK8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.
BACKGROUND: The severity of symptoms in asthma and other hypersensitivity-related disorders has been associated with changes in mood but little is known about the mechanisms possibly mediating such a relationship. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of mood on skin reactivity to histamine by comparing the effects of hypnotically induced emotions on flare and wheal reactions to cutaneous histamine prick tests. METHODS: Fifteen highly hypnotically susceptible volunteers had their cutaneous reactivity to histamine measured before hypnosis at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, and 15 min after the histamine prick. These measurements were repeated under three hypnotically induced emotions of sadness, anger, and happiness presented in a counterbalanced order. Skin reactions were measured as change in histamine flare and wheal area in mm2 per minute. RESULTS: The increase in flare reaction in the time interval from 1 to 3 min during happiness and anger was significantly smaller than flare reactions during sadness (P<0.05). No effect of emotion was found for wheal reactions. Hypnotic susceptibility scores were associated with increased flare reactions at baseline (r=0.56; P<0.05) and during the condition of happiness (r=0.56; P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results agree with previous studies showing mood to be a predictor of cutaneous immediate-type hypersensitivity and histamine skin reactions. The results are also in concordance with earlier findings of an association between hypnotic susceptibility and increased reactivity to an allergen.
Schweiz Med Wochenschr Suppl. 1994;62:67-76.
Hypnosis and the allergic response.
Wyler-Harper J, Bircher AJ, Langewitz W, Kiss A.
Dermatologische Universitatsklinik, Kantonsspital Basel.
In recent years our knowledge of the immune system and the pathogenesis of immune disorders has increased. There has been much research on the complex connections between the psyche, the central nervous system and the immune system and the effect of mood on disease processes. This paper reviews the evidence on the effects of hypnosis on the allergic skin test reaction, on allergies, particularly respiratory allergies and hayfever, and on bronchial hyperreactivity and asthma. Hypnosis, which is generally regarded as an altered state of consciousness associated with concentration, relaxation and imagination, and amongst other characteristics an enhanced responsiveness to suggestion, has long been thought to be effective in the amelioration of various bodily disorders. It has seemed that the state of hypnosis is capable of a bridging or mediating function in the supposed dualism between mind and body. There has been great variation in the experimental and clinical procedures such as type of hypnotic intervention employed, the training of subjects and the timing of the intervention. Also, variability in the type of allergen used and its mode of application is evident. But despite these limitations, many of the studies have shown a link between the use of hypnosis and a changed response to an allergic stimulus or to a lessened bronchial hyperreactivity. There is as yet no clear explanation for the effectiveness of hypnosis, but there is some evidence for an influence on the neurovascular component of the allergic response.