ABSTRACT
Clinical hypnosis has been demonstrated to be an effective primary therapy in case series of patients with functional pulmonary issues such as habit cough and vocal cord dysfunction. A hypnosis triggered relaxation response can help resolve anxiety-induced dyspnea or non-cardiac chest pain. Multiple anecdotal reports support the utility of hypnosis with smoking cessation. In a few controlled studies and case series, hypnosis has been reported to be helpful for patients with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cystic fibrosis. Finally, hypnosis can be used to help patients become more receptive to undergoing medical procedures such as bronchoscopy, laryngoscopy, or radiotherapy, as well as to devices for breathing augmentation such as use of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation or mechanical ventilation. For pulmonary patients who do not have an associated primary psychological disorder, an effective hypnotic intervention often requires only 1–3 visits with a clinician.
