Introduction

Hypnotherapy is a type of complementary therapy that uses hypnosis, which is an altered state of consciousness.

Hypnosis is widely promoted as a treatment for various long-term conditions and for breaking certain habits. This is despite the fact there's no strong evidence to support these uses.

However, hypnosis does seem to have an effect, though scientists disagree about how it works. Some experts see it as a relaxation technique that uses the power of suggestionor relies on the placebo effect .

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Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 5 Dec 2016