INTRODUCTION: Two (2) quantum theoretically based metaphor/models have been proposed recently to describe the therapeutic process in homeopathy in terms of (1) a representation of the vital force (Vf) as a spinning quantized gyroscope, describable as a wave function; and (2) a form of nonorthodox quantum theoretical entanglement (called PPR entanglement) between the patient, practitioner, and remedy. METHOD: Combining these two descriptions permits "normalization" of the Vf gyroscopic wave function. In this context, "normalization" refers to the probability of a patient's symptom totality being expressed and observable to the practitioner within a "therapeutic state space" that has mirror-like characteristics. RESULTS: The Vf gyroscopic wave function contains a constant A related to this symptom totality and its expression. Normalization provides values for A at various stages of the patient's journey to cure, while at the same time suggesting a possible Möbius strip-like "topology" for the practitioner-derived "therapeutic state space." CONCLUSIONS: Changes in the value of A on normalization indicate how expression of symptom totality varies at different stages of the patient's journey to cure, while suggesting a "topology" for the therapeutic process and how the practitioner could be affected by it.

J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Dec;16(12):1329-41. Epub 2010 Dec 1. Milgrom LR. Program for Advanced Homeopathic Studies, London, United Kingdom. Lionel.milgrom@hotmail.com

BACKGROUND: Many therapies exist for the treatment of low-back pain including spinal manipulative therapy (SMT), which is a worldwide, extensively practiced intervention. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of SMT for chronic low-back pain. SEARCH STRATEGY: An updated search was conducted by an experienced librarian to June 2009 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library 2009, issue 2), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PEDro, and the Index to Chiropractic Literature.   SELECTION CRITERIA: RCTs which examined the effectiveness of spinal manipulation or mobilisation in adults with chronic low-back pain were included. No restrictions were placed on the setting or type of pain; studies which exclusively examined sciatica were excluded. The primary outcomes were pain, functional status and perceived recovery. Secondary outcomes were return-to-work and quality of life. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently conducted the study selection, risk of bias assessment and data extraction. GRADE was used to assess the quality of the evidence. Sensitivity analyses and investigation of heterogeneity were performed, where possible, for the meta-analyses. MAIN RESULTS: We included 26 RCTs (total participants = 6070), nine of which had a low risk of bias. Approximately two-thirds of the included studies (N = 18) were not evaluated in the previous review. In general, there is high quality evidence that SMT has a small, statistically significant but not clinically relevant, short-term effect on pain relief (MD: -4.16, 95% CI -6.97 to -1.36) and functional status (SMD: -0.22, 95% CI -0.36 to -0.07) compared to other interventions. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings. There is varying quality of evidence (ranging from low to high) that SMT has a statistically significant short-term effect on pain relief and functional status when added to another intervention. There is very low quality evidence that SMT is not statistically significantly more effective than inert interventions or sham SMT for short-term pain relief or functional status. Data were particularly sparse for recovery, return-to-work, quality of life, and costs of care. No serious complications were observed with SMT. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: High quality evidence suggests that there is no clinically relevant difference between SMT and other interventions for reducing pain and improving function in patients with chronic low-back pain. Determining cost-effectiveness of care has high priority. Further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect in relation to inert interventions and sham SMT, and data related to recovery.

Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Feb 16;2:CD008112. Rubinstein SM, van Middelkoop M, Assendelft WJ, de Boer MR, van Tulder MW. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, Room D518, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1007 MB.

Full title: Clinical use of a novel audio pillow with recorded hypnotherapy instructions and music for anxiolysis during dental implant surgery: a prospective study.

A prospective, comparative study of a novel audio pillow with hypnosis text and relaxation music was conducted in 82 dental-implant surgery patients to relieve anxiety over a 6-month period. Visual analogue scales combined with the Aachen Dental Treatment Fear Inventory (AZI) questionnaire were used to quantify patients' subjective feelings of fear. Blood pressure, heart rate, and capillary oxygen partial pressure were measured before, during, and after surgery. The AZI scores decreased in the hypnotherapy group (n = 44) and increased slightly in the control group; scores were significantly different between the groups (p = .000). During surgery, the average diastolic blood pressure and heart rate decreased in the hypnotherapy group and increased in controls. Thus, this audio pillow with relaxation music showed anxiolytic effects in patients during dental implantation procedures.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2011 Apr;59(2):180-97. Eitner S, Sokol B, Wichmann M, Bauer J, Engels D. Friedrich-Alexander-University, Erlangen, Nuremberg, Germany.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is divided into two types. Type I occurs without obvious nerve injury. In type II, a peripheral nerve injury is present, although pain may not be limited to the distribution of that nerve. Diagnosis rests on the presence of a constellation of symptoms and signs. These include extreme sensitivity, changing skin colour and temperature, trophic changes in the skin, nails and hair, reduced range of motion and loss of function. These features are accompanied by considerable pain for which no other unifying diagnosis can be made. CRPS typically starts with an injury to an extremity which is often seemingly trivial, followed by immobilisation, such as an ankle sprain or Colles' fracture. Instead of the expected resolution of symptoms, persistent pain and dysfunction develop. CRPS usually has an early warm phase that suggests an inflammatory process, with local swelling, erythema and heat. It then progresses to a cold phase, which often goes on for months or years. It is important to keep the affected part moving as much as possible, especially in the early stages. Sensory stimulation, particularly by self-massage, is advised. Aggressive treatment in the early stages improves prognosis. Many cases, especially those with relatively minor symptoms, will resolve spontaneously. Patients who are symptomatically deteriorating, despite regular analgesia, neuropathic agents and physiotherapy, should be referred to a specialist.

Practitioner. 2011 Jan;255(1736):23-6, 3. Lee J, Nandi P. Pain Management Centre, National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London.

Forbes Robbins Blair has studied Huna (Polynesian metaphysics) and with the organization called Builders of the Adytum (www.BOTA.org). Its emphasis is on the Hermetic Kabbalah. While studying Huna, he became interested and studied hypnosis and self-hypnosis.

During the first few years in his professional career, he stumbled onto a way to hypnotize yourself with your eyes open while reading out loud. HeI developed it into a reliable method which became his first published book. Instant Self-Hypnosis: How to Hypnotize Yourself with Your Eyes Open.

A couple of years later he made a second hypnosis-related discovery about turning everyday activities into powerful self-empowerment rituals. That discovery led to a second book: Self-Hypnosis Revolution: The Amazingly Simple Way to Use Self-Hypnosis to Change Your Life.

Since the publication of the books, he's appeared on local and national radio and television programs for my expertise in both hypnosis and dreams.

BACKGROUND: Plant species have long been used as principal ingredients of traditional medicine in far-west Nepal. The medicinal plants with ethnomedicinal values are currently being screened for their therapeutic potential but their data and information are inadequately compared and analyzed with the Ayurveda and the phytochemical findings. METHODS: The present study evaluated ethnomedicinal plants and their uses following literature review, comparison, field observations, and analysis. Comparison was made against earlier standard literature of medicinal plants and ethnomedicine of the same area, the common uses of the Ayurveda and the latest common phytochemical findings. The field study for primary data collection was carried out from 2006-2008. RESULTS: The herbal medicine in far-west Nepal is the basis of treatment of most illness through traditional knowledge. The medicine is made available via ancient, natural health care practices such as tribal lore, home herbal remedy, and the Baidhya, Ayurveda and Amchi systems. The traditional herbal medicine has not only survived but also thrived in the trans-cultural environment with its intermixture of ethnic traditions and beliefs. The present assessment showed that traditional herbal medicine has flourished in rural areas where modern medicine is parsimoniously accessed because of the high cost and long travel time to health center. Of the 48 Nepalese medicinal plants assessed in the present communication, about half of the species showed affinity with the common uses of the Ayurveda, earlier studies and the latest phytochemical findings. The folk uses of Acacia catechu for cold and cough, Aconitum spicatum as an analgesic, Aesculus indica for joint pain, Andrographis paniculata for fever, Anisomeles indica for urinary affections, Azadirachta indica for fever, Euphorbia hirta for asthma, Taxus wallichiana for tumor control, and Tinospora sinensis for diabetes are consistent with the latest pharmacological findings, common Ayurvedic and earlier uses. CONCLUSIONS: Although traditional herbal medicine is only a primary means of health care in far-west Nepal, the medicine has been pursued indigenously with complementing pharmacology and the Ayurveda. Therefore, further pharmacological evaluation of traditional herbal medicine deserves more attention.

J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2010 Dec 13;6:35. Kunwar RM, Shrestha KP, Bussmann RW. Ethnobotanical Society of Nepal, GPO Box 5220, Kathmandu, Nepal. ripukunwar@gmail.com

Richard K. Nongard is among the most qualified professionals in the Southwest, and has authored many books, videos and professional educational materials, including hypnosis textbooks. He holds advanced degrees in both religion and counseling, and has been trained in the USA, Canada and Europe. In addition to his MA in Counseling and PhD in Comparative Religion, he is currently completing a Doctor of Arts program at Harrison Middleton University.

Richard is an innovative leader in the field of psychotherapy and hypnosis, and over the last 20+ years he has trained thousands of professionals including ministers, medical doctors, psychologists, social workers, family therapists, hypnotherapists and professional counselors in ways to do a better job serving their clients.

His is the author of several bestselling textbooks on counseling and hypnosis subjects, including 11 Solutions to Highly Difficult Clients, Nose-Rings and Bellybutton Rings: A User's Guide to the Next Generation, Inductions and Deepeners, Styles and Approaches for Effective Hypnosis, and The Little Black Book of Stage Hypnosis Secrets.

He is the creator of the QuitSuccess® Tobacco Cessation Treatment Program, used by hospitals and healthcare groups across the country.

Full Title: From Passionate Process to Poetic and Playful Puzzle – Part II: The Art of Reviving and Writing "The Reorg Rag" ™

by Mark Gorkin, LICSW

The latest imaginative arena-adventure involved writing a dark yet witty and wicked lyric about being caught in the web of workplace change in today's uncertain and unstable climate – from reorganizations and downsizings to regime transfers and mergers. The immediate trigger was working with several organizations in varying stages of reorganization and disorganization. "The Reorg Rag" is a product of transforming a passionate process into a poetic and playful puzzle. Let me continue to outline the social-psychological musings, interactions and working associations of a mind in creative heat, one skewering both convention and dysfunction, while also looking to construct unusual or unexpected yet pointed analogies and meaningful connections.

[More]

Morgellons Disease is a condition involving painful skin lesions, fibrous growths protruding from the skin, and subcutaneous stinging and burning sensations, along with symptoms of anxiety, depression, fatigue, and memory and attention deficits.The etiological and physiological bases of these symptoms are unclear, making the diagnosis controversial and challenging to treat. There are currently no established treatments for Morgellons Disease. The following case example depicts treatment of a woman with Morgellons Disease using hypnotherapy. Data from this case example suggest that hypnotherapy is a promising intervention for the physical and psychological symptoms associated with Morgellons Disease.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2011 Apr;59(2):242-9. Gartner AM, Dolan SL, Stanford MS, Elkins GR. Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA.

by Tim Brunson, PhD

Is there an alternative? There is an almost certain probability that the next time you engage a client in a well-meant hypnotherapy session that you will be using techniques whose origins are rooted in decades or even centuries old hypotheses, which since then have been either already superseded by more recent ideas, have been totally discredited by scientific methodology, or are solely derived from idealism totally devoid of any rationality. However, you have no need to worry. Your techniques are most certainly still taught in programs, which are openly promoted by "fully accredited universities" and/or international peer-based trade and professional organizations. This means that if you continue to use such obsolete methods, you're okay – after all your methods are sanctioned. How did we get into such as state? And, is there an alternative?

[More]

Full title: A review of three simple plant models and corresponding statistical tools for basic research in homeopathy.

In this paper, we review three simple plant models (wheat seed germination, wheat seedling growth, and infected tobacco plants) that we set up during a series of experiments carried out from 1991 to 2009 in order to study the effects of homeopathic treatments. We will also describe the set of statistical tools applied in the different models. The homeopathic treatment used in our experiments was arsenic trioxide (As?O?) diluted in a decimal scale and dynamized. Since the most significant results were achieved with the 45th decimal potency, both for As?O? (As 45x) and water (W 45x), we here report a brief summary of these results. The statistical analysis was performed by using parametric and nonparametric tests, and Poisson distribution had an essential role when dealing with germination experiments. Finally, we will describe some results related to the changes in variability, which seems to be one of the targets of homeopathic treatment effect.

ScientificWorldJournal. 2010 Dec 14;10:2330-47. Betti L, Trebbi G, Zurla M, Nani D, Peruzzi M, Brizzi M. Department of Agroenvironmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Bologna, Italy. lucietta.betti@unibo.it