Alex Lenkei, a 61-year-old hypnotist, opted against using any traditional anesthetic for his recent surgery, choosing instead to send himself into a hypnotic trance for the duration of the surgery.

He was able to hear the cracking of his bones and the surgeon asking for a saw -- he could even hear the surgeon "hammering away at the bone" with a hammer and chisel. He could feel the doctor "pulling and manipulating" him, but felt no pain.

Much of the medical community is quite interested in this, as studies have shown that using less anesthetic can reduce the time patients spend in the hospital and speed healing. Additionally, many patients are nervous about using an anesthetic, and while they might not opt for using hypnosis only, it might help to calm them and allow a lower dose of anesthetic to be used.

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Do people still faint anymore? I don't think I've ever seen anyone faint in person, although I know it happens. Based on TV and movies it seems like people faint left and right, but have you ever wondered what exactly causes somebody to suddenly lose consciousness and hit the floor?

Fainting is caused by a sudden decrease in blood flow to the brain, which causes loss of consciousness usually just for a few seconds, and people often feel dizzy or nauseous after they wake up. Things that can trigger fainting include any kind of straining or pushing, excessive coughing, medications, drugs, low blood sugar, pain, and of course the Hollywood favorite: emotional distress.

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