Hypertension is a chronic condition that causes heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, and other serious health problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control, hypertension directly or indirectly killed about 472,000 Americans in 2017, and it costs the United States over $130 billion per year. It also heightens the risk of death for people who contract COVID-19. The current standards for controlling this condition involve diet, exercise, and medication. We are testing an alternate approach that combines hypnosis and virtual reality.

What are we seeking?

We are seeking volunteers with severe hypertension, and we especially welcome people whose hypertension is difficult to control by current medication.

What will the volunteers do?

The trial entails having volunteers download our app onto their smart phones and play it for a month, using a set of VR goggles, as described here. The app runs for about 40 minutes and volunteers can view it in the comfort of their own homes. Volunteers will use this product in addition to performing their normal hypertension maintenance procedures as established by their doctors. Patients should not disregard their doctors' advice!

Where is the trial located?

Since the trial is over the Internet, there is no need to travel anywhere.

Is there a cost?

In this testing stage, our app is free to use. However, in order to test our software, the volunteers will need to have a smartphone with a 4½" – 6" screen, measured diagonally. Volunteers will also need virtual reality headsets with built-in speakers. For a full explanation of the requirements, please click here.

Will I be compensated?

Everyone who participates in and completes this trial will have this software to use indefinitely and will be entitled to use all future versions of it, free of charge.

Why do we think this app is worth testing?

Studies have shown that treatments which used the same core concepts have successfully lowered people’s blood pressure. We have found similar results when trying our app on a very small sample of users. However, these samples were too small to draw any definitive conclusions. Now we seek to leverage the power of the Internet for a large scale test.

Does the app have any known side effects?

Users often report sleeping better after they use the app.

What is my time commitment?

You must agree to use the app for 40 minutes per day for a month in a quite place. You can view it in your favorite chair, on the couch, or in bed.

Will I be receiving a placebo?

No. In this trial, everyone will receive the exact same app. The placebo approach is not applicable in our case because the industry standard, randomized clinical trials, demand the ignorance of its subjects. By definition, the subjects in standard clinical trials cannot know whether they are receiving the actual treatment or a placebo. Our approach, by contrast, requires that test subjects are completely aware of the treatment being received, and it uses that awareness to trigger the same healing reactions in your body that a placebo would use - and amplify them. The usual paradigm is useless here because a placebo cannot credibly be tested against itself.

How then do you measure success?

Since we are addressing a chronic condition, we will be measuring progress against your documented hypertension history. Every time you start the app, you will enter your most recent readings. We will see how they trend during your test month.

How do I join?

For Android phones, please download and install our app from here:

For our iPhone version, please email us at HypertensionTrial@worksol.net. In the email, please specify your iPhone type. Then we will add your email address to our iPhone download list and send you a link.

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References:

[1] "The Use of Relaxation and Hypnosis in Lowering High Blood Pressure," by Herdis L. Deabler, Ph.D., Edward Fidel, B.S., Robert L. Dillenkoffer, M.D. and S. Thomas Elder, Ph.D. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, Volume 16, 1973 - Issue 2, Pages 75-83.

[2] "The Use of Hypnosis and Biofeedback Procedures for Essential Hypertension," by Howard Friedman and Harvey A. Taub (1977). International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, Volume 25, 1977 - Issue 4, pp. 335-347.

[3] "Effectiveness of Hypnosis in Reducing Mild Essential Hypertension: A One-Year Follow-Up," by Marie-Claire Gay. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, Volume 55, 2007 - Issue 1, pp. Pages 67-83.