Positive Health Online

Abstract

ANBAR and SACHDEVA, Upstate Medical University, State University of New York, Syracuse, New York 13210, USA. anbarr@upstate.edu report a case of an asthma patient with complications whose symptoms were completely resolved with hypnosis.

Background

Difficult asthma is defined as the persistence of asthma symptoms, abnormal pulmonary function showing airway obstruction, and continued requirement for short-acting bronchodilator therapy, despite adequate treatment with inhaled corticosteroids.

Methodology

It calls for a thorough evaluation of the patient to look into alternate and complicating diagnoses.

Results

The authors report a case of a 9-year-old patient with difficult asthma who failed to respond to conventional therapy. Although it was recognized that he had a number of potential medical complicating factors including allergies, chronic sinusitis, and gastroesophageal reflux, a psychological intervention using hypnosis ultimately appeared to help alleviate his symptoms completely.

Conclusion

Thus, psychological evaluation and intervention should be considered early in the course of management of a patient with difficult asthma, because it may help avoid time-consuming and expensive investigations of potential complicating factors, and it may yield rapid improvement in the patient's clinical condition.

References

Anbar RD and Sachdeva S. Treatment of psychological factors in a child with difficult asthma: a case report. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis. 54(1):47-55 Jul 2011.