Public release date 4-Apr, 2005

Hypnosis helps habit cough

By: Ivanhoe Newswire

Not all coughs are created equal. In children, there's something called a habit cough.

Drug therapies are typically not effective for this type of cough. An alternative treatment may help nix the nagging habit.

It started as a bad cold and turned into an annoying habit cough!

Eleven-year-old Ian Appelbaum hacked for 33 days straight and missed 20 days of school. Ian said, "I felt kind of miserable because I was coughing every one or two seconds."

Ian's mom Lee Thompson said, "But what was amazing was it was every waking moment. It was non- stop."

Dr. Howard Hall heard the clues immediately. He said, "In my waiting room, I can tell if there's a cough habit."

Dr. Hall prescribed hypnosis for Ian. A new study shows it's nearly 80 per cent effective at stopping a habit cough.

The idea is to reduce stress and anxiety. Ian practiced the method at home.

"I would usually start by closing my eyes, laying back and relaxing," Ian said. "I would think about what I enjoy doing."

Dr. Hall sometimes combines this bio-feedback method with hypnosis. This freeze-framer measures heart rate, relaxation and stress.

As the patient gets calmer, the balloon floats higher.

"Hypnosis has a lot of applications. It also helps you sleep, and it's so helpful for a variety of conditions," Dr. Hall said.

Within two days, Ian's cough was gone. "It felt really good after I stopped coughing," Ian said.

And now, he can get back to doing the things he likes most.

Habit coughs usually develop after children get over a common cold or flu, but in many cases, the reason for the cough is psychological.

Dr. Hall said one of the biggest benefits of hypnosis is there are no side effects.