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English to Spanish: It won´t hurt you a bit. By Sandija O´connell General field: Science Detailed field: Journalism
Source text - English It won´t hurt you one bit
By Sandija O´connell
A US scientist says he can prove clinically
that hypnosis alters perception and is an
effective painkiller.
There is no short age of laymen who believe in hypnosis. Scientists, however, are more cynical, pointing out that there is no clinical evidence it works. But now David Spiegel, associate chair of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at Standford University School of Medicine in California, has published research which he believes proves the skeptics wrong.
Spiegel hypnotized eight students. He gave each a sheet of grey card and a coloured card and told them to look at the grey card and, in their mind´s eye, make it coloured. They were then asked to turn the coloured card grey. Brain scans showed that when looking at a grey card their brains responded as if they were seeing a coloured card; with the coloured card they responded as if they were seeing the grey card. “What this shows is that believing is seeing. It demonstrates that hypnosis really can alter perception,” Spiegel says.
He also claims to have proved that hypnotism can reduce the need for painkillers and anaesthesia. In his study Spiegel taught self-hypnosis to 82 patients having operations for clogged arteries and veins. They needed no drugs, felt no pain, were less anxious than other patients, and took 17 minutes less in surgery, according to Spiegel. “And still many people don´t believe a psychological technique can have such a profound effect,” he says. “I would like to see hypnotism as a standard tool in medicine and as a routine treatment for pain.”
Spiegel is now working with people with Parkinson´s disease who have to undergo, while conscious, brain surgery that lasts for eight hours. He is also helping children as young as six, to cope with painful operations: they learn to hypnotise themselves by thinking about a source of pleasure –Disney World, say, or going to the park.
Hypnotism has been used to treat pain for 150 years –beginning with a Scottish surgeon, James Esdaile, who carried out 1,500 operations including 300 amputations, in Calcutta using the technique. Spiegel believes that hypnotism succeeds because it optimizes the mind-body connection. “Hypnotism is a state of highly focused attention,” he says. “It´s a way of working on all cylinders by focusing the brain on the body. ”
However, it is not an option for everyone. A quarter of us cannot be hypnotized, and although there are varying degrees of hypnotism, only 10 per cent of the population is completely susceptible. No one knows why, but research shows that people who had a trusting relationship –involving imaginative storytelling – with their parents or, alternatively, people who were abused in childhood, are easily hypnotized.
Dr. Adrian White, of the Department for Complementary Medicine at Exeter University, says that although Spiegel´s work is impressive, his charismatic personality may have contributed to the results. Spiegel laughs: “Believe me, my students are not as charismatic as me and they do as well as I do. It´s not about charisma. I de- emphasise my ability. It´s insulting to people to assume that they cannot hypnotise themselves. ”
Professor Andrew Colman, of Leicester University´s psychology department, has been interested in hypnotism for 30 years. “A very powerful and real phenomenon is going on here,“ he says. “What is controversial is how it should be interpreted.”
Most psychologists do not deny that hypnotism is possible, Colman adds, but they believe patients are deluding themselves as they succumb to the social pressure exerted by the hypnotist. “this argument is deadlocked and won´t be solved in a hurry.”
Translation - Spanish
No te va a doler
Por Sanjida O’Connell
Un científico norteamericano afirma
que puede probar clínicamente que la hipnosis
altera la percepción y es un calmante efectivo.
No son pocos los legos que creen en el hipnotismo. Los científicos, sin embargo, son más cínicos y señalan que no hay evidencia clínica de que funcione. Pero ahora David Spiegel, catedrático asociado en psiquiatría y ciencias del comportamiento de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Stanford en California, acaba de publicar una investigación en donde le demuestra lo contrario a los escépticos.
Spiegel hipnotizó a ocho estudiantes. A cada uno le entregó una tarjeta gris y otra de color y les pidió que observaran la tarjeta gris e imaginaran que era de color. Luego, realizaron el procedimiento inverso con la tarjeta de color. Los mapeos cerebrales muestran cómo al mirar una tarjeta gris sus cerebros respondían como si estuviesen observando una tarjeta de color y viceversa. “Lo que esto demuestra es que hay que creer para ver. Prueba que la hipnosis realmente puede alterar la percepción”, señala Spiegel.
También afirma el haber probado que el hipnotismo también puede reducir la necesidad de analgésicos y anestesia. En su estudio, Spiegel enseñó auto hipnosis a ochenta y dos pacientes que iban a ser sometidos a operaciones por obstrucciones en las arterias y venas. No necesitaron medicamentos, no sintieron dolor, fueron menos ansiosos que otros pacientes y la operación duró diecisiete minutos menos, según Spiegel. “Sin embargo, mucha gente no cree que una técnica psicológica pueda tener un efecto tan profundo”, dice. “Me gustaría ver al hipnotismo como una herramienta habitual de la medicina y como un tratamiento rutinario para el dolor”.
En la actualidad Spiegel trabaja con pacientes que padecen la enfermedad de Parkinson, y deben someterse, en estado consciente, a ocho horas de cirugía cerebral. También ayuda a niños mayores de seis años a sobrellevar operaciones dolorosas: aprenden a auto hipnotizarse pensando en algo placentero — Disney World, dice, o yendo al parque.
El hipnotismo ha sido utilizado para tratar el dolor durante 150 años— comenzando por un cirujano escoses, James Esdaile, quien llevó a cabo 1500 operaciones, incluyendo 300 amputaciones, usando esta técnica en Calcuta. Spiegel cree que el hipnotismo da resultado porque optimiza la conexión entre el cuerpo y la mente. “La hipnosis es un estado de máxima concentración”, dice. “Es una forma de trabajar a toda marcha enfocando el cerebro en el cuerpo”.
Sin embargo, no es una opción para todos. El 25% de las personas no puede ser hipnotizado, y aunque hay varios grados de hipnotismo, sólo 10% de la población es completamente susceptible. Nadie sabe por qué, pero una investigación muestra que las personas que tuvieron una relación de confianza (que incluía la narración de cuentos que incentivaban su imaginación) con sus padres o personas que fueron abusadas en la niñez, son fácilmente hipnotizadas.
El Dr. Adrian White del Departamento para la Medicina Complementaria de la Universidad de Exeter, dice que a pesar de que el trabajo de Spiegel es impresionante, su personalidad carismática ha contribuido a los resultados. Spiegel se ríe: “Créanme, mis estudiantes no son tan carismáticos como yo y sin embargo lo hacen igual de bien”. No se trata de carisma. Yo des enfatizo mi habilidad. Es insultante para las personas dar por sentado que ellos no pueden hipnotizarse por su cuenta.”
El Profesor Andrew Colman del Departamento de Psicología de la Universidad de Leicester, se ha interesado por el hipnotismo desde hace treinta años. “Un fenómeno muy real y poderoso está sucediendo”, dice. “Lo que es controversial es cómo debe ser interpretado.”
Colman añade que la mayoría de los psicólogos no niega que el hipnotismo sea posible, pero creen que los pacientes se engañan a sí mismos mientras sucumben a la presión social ejercida por el hipnotista. “Este argumento está irresoluto y no se aclarará rápidamente.”
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Master's degree - Universidad Alcalá de Henares
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Years of experience: 17. Registered at ProZ.com: Nov 2009.
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I consider myself to possess strong communication and interpersonal skills in English and Spanish, as well as abilities and professional competences focused on a high commitment, a high sense of responsibility and the will to learn and to contribute. I am a self motivation person with a strong self steam. I can work as part of a team with pro-activity and constant optimistic and achievement attitude as well as individual.
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