Research conducted by the Institute of Medical Psychology at the Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany exploring the use of hypnosis to manage the symptoms and disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis found that hypnosis produced significant improvements in both the subjective assessments of symptom severity, body and joint function, and the objective measurements of disease activity via blood samples. Improvements became even more significant when patients practiced the hypnosis regularly during the follow-up periods. Additionally, research conducted by the Department of Rheumatology, Sint Antonious Zeikenhuis, Netherlands exploring the use of hypnosis for symptom management of refractory fibromyalgia found that patients in the hypnotherapy group showed a significantly better outcome with respect to their pain experience, fatigue on awakening, sleep pattern and global physical and psychological assessment at 12 and 24 weeks.

• Horton-Hausknecht, J. R., Mitzdorf, U., & Melchart, D. The effect of hypnosis therapy on the symptoms and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis. Psych Health. 2000; 14(6): 1089-1104. Institute of Medical Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany.
• Haanen, H.C., Hoenderdos, H. T., van Romunde, L. K. et al. Controlled trial of hypnotherapy in the treatment of refractory fibromyalgia. J Rheumotol. 1991; 18(1): 72-75. Department of Rheumatology, Sint Antonius Zeikenhuis, Nieuwegein, Netherlands.