TWO-FINGER EYE-CLOSURE METHOD
The two-finger eye-closure method is the fastest technique ever devised for obtaining hypnosis. Because it is so fast it is especially recommended for emergency patients. This is also one of the best techniques for children, especially those who are really afraid of the dentist. In most instances, the hypnosis is quite deep.
Dentist induction for children goes as follows:
“I guess you play a lot with your toys when you’re home. And you probably pretend a lot with them, isn’t that right? Well, we have a little game of pretending too. And if you can learn to play this little game of pretending, nothing that happens in the dentist’s office will bother or disturb. You just won’t feel anything that we’re doing if you learn to play this little game. Would you like to learn about it?
PATIENT: Yes.
DENTIST: All right, open your eyes wide. I’m going to show you this little game. I’m going to pull your eyes shut with my forefinger and my thumb, like this. [Gently places thumb and finger on eyelids and draws them down.]
Now you pretend with your whole heart and soul that you can’t open your eyes. That’s all you have to do. Just pretend that. Now, I will take my hand away [removes hand] and you pretend so hard that when you try to open your eyes they just won’t work. Now try to make them work while you’re pretending. Try hard. They just won’t work, see. Now just because you’re pretending like that, anything we do in this office won’t bother or disturb you at all. In your mind, you can be home playing with your toys and you won’t feel anything I have to do“.
Dentist induction for adults goes as follows:
“Every time you come to this office, I notice how tense you get, and if I could teach you how to relax, you wouldn’t mind anything we have to do. Suppose I teach you how to relax. Would you like that?”
Patient: Yes.
“Take a good long deep breath.
Now open your eyes wide. I’m going to pull your eyelids shut with my forefinger and my thumb.
Now I want you to relax the muscles that are underneath my fingers.
Now I will take my hand away.
Relax your eye muscles to the point where they just won’t work.
Then, when you’re sure those eye muscles won’t work, test them, and make sure they won’t work.
Test them hard.
That’s right.
Now let that feeling of relaxation go right down to your toes, and when I lift your hand and drop it, that hand will be so relaxed it will just plop down into your lap.
And just let it plop. That’s it.
Any work that I do from this point on in your mouth or any other part of your body, you just won’t mind.
Just stay relaxed like that.
Make sure at all times that your eye muscles won’t work and you have relaxation all through your body and you won’t feel a thing.
I’m going to stroke your arm (body part) in the area where I’m going to work and you just won’t feel anything.
You’ll know I’m working there, but nothing will bother, nothing will disturb. I’m ready to do my work now and you have complete anaesthesia in your right arm (any other mentioned body part).
After the treatment is finished, say:
“Now, when I have you open your eyes notice how good you feel. Open your eyes. How do you feel?”
This approach was used to set a compound fracture on a 12-year old boy because the only anaesthesiologist available was working on another emergency case. The emergency doctor couldn’t stand the suffering of the boy anymore, and he used the method described above to produce anaesthesia. He then proceeded to reduce the compound fracture.
In the midst of the work, the anaesthesist came downstairs, prepared to give chemical anaesthesia. He was amazed to find his services were unnecessary, and soon afterward became Elman’s student.
This approach is recommended for the emergency victim because it is so fast; you generally get hypnosis within five seconds, but it is important to create deep hypnosis!
You can achieve this deepened state by having him pretend to smell beautiful flowers, or let them watch their favourite tv-show, or play their favourite game mentally.You can check this deepened state as you know that the patient’s eyelids should flutter, that the whites of the eyes should get red, and that there should be increased lacrimation. Don’t forget that you are working with a person who hears and understands everything you are saying. You are talking to a person who is perfectly conscious when he’s in deep hypnosis.
