1/2. hypnosis in a case of long-standing idiopathic itch.OBJECTIVE: This article presents the results of a brief hypnosis treatment of a woman with chronic, idiopathic vaginal and anal itch. methods: The patient was referred after 3 years of unsuccessful outcomes with standard topical and oral treatments prescribed by her family physician and three dermatologists. Treatment consisted of five sessions of self-hypnosis training in techniques of relaxation, deepening, and imagery, and home practice with an individualized instructional tape. RESULTS: After treatment, the patient reported substantial tissue healing, confirmed by her treating physician, that coincided with significant reductions in her scores of itch intensity, itch-related sleep disruption, and distress from pre- to posttreatment. These improvements continued at 4 months of follow-up, and the patient reported complete resolution of physical symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The fact that these changes coincided with only minor improvements in general anxiety scores suggests that the resolution of the patient's itch condition was treatment-specific rather than the result of methodological artifact, participant reporting bias, or a general sense of feeling better. These findings suggest that hypnosis is a cost-effective treatment for idiopathic itch conditions, especially those that are unresponsive to standard medical treatments.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/2. Joan: 'it itches, it burns': psychoanalytic approach to a case of vulvar burning syndrome.The case report of Joan, a 20-year-old girl, suffering from vulvar burning syndrome (vulvodynia), illustrates how under certain circumstances, the body expresses what the mind and words are unable to formulate. The skin and the genital sphere are areas rich in symbolic expression because of their close connection with relational and emotional life. It is up to the dermatologist and the gynecologist to detect the signs of the psychic pain behind the somatic complaint. Contrary to other cases of vulvodynia previously reported, Joan had never suffered from real sexual or physical abuse, but experienced her emotional and sexual life in a painfully conflictual way. Through Joan's psychoanalytic work, we attempt to show the benefits of such an approach in the search for a better quality of life for these patients. A close collaboration between the physician and the psychotherapist is needed to improve the treatment of pathologies involved in a chronic pain syndrome, where psychological factors may play an important part.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |