Acupuncture and Hypnotism: Preliminary Experiments — and a Warning

Abstract

Acupuncture was successfully used to relieve examination anxiety induced by hypnotic techniques in three medical students. The experiments were witnessed by other medical students and physicians who corroborated the physiological concomitants of anxiety. Acupuncture analgesia was induced in one skeptical onlooking physician without his being aware of the anatomical site expected to become analgesic. A skeptical surgeon was relaxed using acupuncture. Absolute dissimilarities between hypnosis and acupuncture are compared as are their similarities.