Physical health
Hypnotherapy for surgery and medical procedures
Feel calmer before an operation or procedure. Research shows hypnosis used alongside standard medical care can reduce anxiety and how much pain is felt around surgery.
How hypnotherapy helps before and after medical procedures
Waiting for an operation, a scan, dental work or an injection can fill your mind for weeks. Nerves can disturb your sleep beforehand, make the day itself harder, and leave you tense afterwards. Feeling calm and prepared makes a real difference to how the whole experience feels.
Research reviews show that hypnosis, used alongside standard medical care, can reduce anxiety and how much pain is felt around surgery and medical procedures. A 2021 review of 50 randomised controlled trials, involving more than 4,000 adults, found hypnosis reduced emotional distress, pain and the amount of medication people needed, and helped recovery. A large 2025 review of 142 studies, involving more than 9,000 people, found less anxiety before procedures, less anxiety and pain during them, and less nausea and vomiting afterwards.
In a well-known 2007 trial of 200 women having breast surgery, a hypnosis session before the operation was followed by less pain, nausea and sedative use, and lower costs. For children, a Cochrane review found hypnosis reduced pain and distress during needle procedures, although the certainty of that evidence was very low.
What we work on
- Easing nerves in the days and weeks before your procedure
- Feeling calm on the day: in the waiting room, during preparation, and going in
- Fear of needles, blood, hospitals or anaesthetic (see also phobias)
- Techniques to help you feel more comfortable and in control
- Rest, sleep and a positive focus during recovery
- A short self-hypnosis routine or recording to use on the day
How sessions work
Book a free 15–30 minute consultation by phone or video, ideally a few weeks before your procedure so there is time to prepare, though even one or two sessions beforehand can be worthwhile. Sessions are in person at 9 Coldbath Square, Farringdon, or online. Tim tailors the work to your procedure using Ericksonian hypnotherapy and NLP, and teaches you self-hypnosis to use on the day and during recovery.
Why Tim
Tim Dunton has more than 20 years of experience and has been training since 2004. He is a member of the General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR), an Advanced and Ericksonian Hypnotherapist and a Master Practitioner of NLP, trained by Richard Bandler and John Grinder. He has worked with celebrities, sportspeople and business leaders.
Which procedures does this help with?
Clients prepare for operations, dental treatment, MRI and other scans, injections, blood tests, endoscopies and fertility procedures, among others.
How soon before my operation should I start?
A few weeks beforehand is ideal if you can, but get in touch whatever your date is.
Can children have sessions?
Please ask at your free consultation. A parent or guardian must give consent and be involved.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Aim | Calmer before and during procedures; more comfortable recovery |
| Evidence | Moderate: large reviews of randomised trials |
| Typical course | Usually around five sessions (7 hours) |
| Format | In person in Farringdon, London EC1, or online |
| First step | Free 15–30 minute consultation |
| Fee | £150 an hour online, £195 in person |
Hypnotherapy works alongside medical care. Please see your GP about any medical condition, and keep taking prescribed medication unless your doctor advises otherwise.
See also: hypnotherapy for physical health, anxiety and chronic pain.
The research
- Holler M, Koranyi S, Strauss B, Rosendahl J (2021). Meta-analysis of 50 randomised controlled trials (4,269 people) of hypnosis in adults undergoing surgery or medical procedures. Clinical Psychology Review 85:102001. PubMed 33725512
- Lahoud MJ, Gurary ST, Elia N (2025/26). Review of 142 studies (9,238 people) of hypnosis around procedures. Anaesthesia 81(1):103–115. PubMed 40991959
- Montgomery GH et al (2007). Randomised controlled trial of hypnosis before breast surgery (200 women). Journal of the National Cancer Institute 99(17):1304–1312. PubMed 17728216
- Birnie KA et al (2018). Cochrane review of psychological approaches, including hypnosis, for children's needle procedures. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CD005179.
Individual experiences vary.
Related treatments
A free, no-obligation 15–30 minute call by phone or video. Or call 07975 653893.