IBS - West Midlands Hypnotherapy Centre

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IBS

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IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)

Hypnotherapy is recognised by NICE to help with the discomfort associated with IBS and has been shown time and again to help mitigate the emotional and physical symptoms for IBS patients. The NHS NICE guidelines state that CBT and Hypnotherapy could be effective for IBS, in certain situations, as highlighted below.


Gut-directed hypnotherapy is a special form of hypnotherapy developed for IBS and digestive disorder sufferers. It uses the therapeutic qualities of hypnotherapy, such as deep relaxation, and adds gut-specific treatments and suggestions. This form of hypnotherapy is designed to treat all symptoms of IBS and has proved highly effective. (Br J Gen Pract. 2006 Feb;56(523):115-21).


People with IBS present with varying symptom profiles, most commonly 'diarrhoea predominant', 'constipation predominant' or alternating symptom profiles. IBS most often affects people between the ages of 20 and 30 years and is twice as common in women as in men. Prevalence in the general population is estimated to be between 10% and 20%. Recent trends indicate that there is also a significant prevalence of IBS in older people. The aims of both CBT and hypnotherapy are to enable self-reliance for the suffer, and could enable them to take back control of their own body.



 

NICE Clinical Practice Guidelines for IBS in adults
February 2008 (updated April 2017)

"RECOMMENDATION Referral for psychological interventions (cognitive behavioural therapy [CBT], hypnotherapy and/or psychological therapy) should be considered for people with IBS who do not respond to pharmacological treatments after 12 months and who develop a continuing symptom profile (described as refractory IBS)."
Page 464


Hypnotherapy routinely produces long term positive results in over 80% of the people who use it.

 

"Nine out of ten 10 people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) benefited from hypnotherapy, and 4 in 10 saw their symptoms clear up completely, according to new research by leading UK gastroenterologist Professor Roland Valori."
Irritable bowel syndrome eased by hypnotherapy
 Telegraph.co.uk, Rebecca Smith, Published: 7:20AM GMT 18 Mar 2010



Hypnotherapy is often thought to be therapy that only affects the mind, but as mind and body are inseparably joined, hypnosis could also help physical ailments.

Henry Maudsley is quoted as saying “Emotions that find no outlet make the organs weep”. For Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), one of hypnotherapy's greatest benefits is its well-established ability to reduce the effects of stress and anxiety. Your state of mind can have a direct impact on your physical well-being, even when you're in the best of health. If you are struggling with the pain associated with IBS, the tension, and anxiety that comes from living with this syndrome, it could actually undermine your immune system and further compromise your health.

In our experience, Irritable Bowel Syndrome is ideally suited to treatment by hypnosis and/or self-hypnosis, for several reasons: First, as just noted, stress-related attacks can be significantly reduced. Second, one of the most impressive aspects from hypnotherapy, and of tremendous benefit to IBS sufferers, is its well-documented ability to relieve virtually all types and degrees of pain. Finally, because IBS is not a disease at all but a syndrome, if you can relieve and prevent the symptoms, you have effectively cured yourself of the disorder, and you could be living an IBS-free life.


 

“IBS is ideal for treatment with hypnosis, as there is no structural damage to the body,” Professor Whorwell explained. “During the hypnotherapy, sufferers learn how to influence and gain control of their gut function, and then seem to be able to change the way the brain modulates their gut activity.”


"The treatment has a success rate of about 70%, and Professor Whorwell believes that hypnotherapy, although it's labour-intensive, could be an extremely effective treatment for the condition; and a less expensive alternative to new, costly drugs coming onto the market."


“We’ve found it to help all the symptoms, whereas some of the drugs available reduce only a few,” he said. “As IBS can be a life-long condition it could clearly be a very valuable option for patients"
Hypnotherapy treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome discovered
University of Manchester, School of Medicine, Published: November 2005

 

What next?

When you are ready to make the inner changes you need to overcome your IBS, just click here to email or phone us on (0121) 251 6172 to discuss and make an appointment now.

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