Sometimes people experience pain or uncomfortable sensations that diagnostic tests aren't able to define. When every probable cause has been ruled out by the medical community, it's possible to go into trance and ask your body what's going on, and what can be done to help.
I believe we've only begun to explore the mind-body possibilities of hypnotherapy. In 1995, my husband was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's. There is no cure – yet! – but during the remaining eight years of his life we did many sessions to support clear and focused thinking. We both felt these were well worth the effort. Recent scientific research has begun to confirm that hypnotherapy has a measurable positive effect on those with Alzheimer's.
If you'd like to read more about hypnotherapy and physical healing, here's a start:
Pain Management: Beyond Pharmacology to Acupuncture and Hypnosis (The Journal of the American Medical Association)
The Possibilities in Hypnosis, Where the Patient Has the Power (New York Times, free viewing via The Taipei Times)