hypnotherapy and IBS

The effect of hypnotherapy on severe IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) was studied at University Hospital of South Manchester. 25 patients suffering from IBS were treated with hypnotherapy and the effect was assessed by comparison with 25 patients suffering a similar degeee of IBS who received no such treatment. Patients treated with hypnotherapy reported significantly less severe abdominal pain, bloating, bowel habit, nausea, flatulence, urinary symptoms, lethargy and backache than the control patients. In addition hypnotherapy profoundly improved the patients' quality of life and reduced absenteeism from work.

The long term effects of hypnotherapy for IBS have been studied at the University Hospital of South Manchester. 204 patients with IBS were given one-hour sessions of Hypnotherapy for up to 12 weeks and were asked to assess their symptoms, quality of life and levels of anxiety and depression before and after treatment and for up to six years after completing the course. 71% responded to therapy and almost all of these maintained their improvement over 5 or 6 years. Quality of life and anxiety or depression were significantly improved at follow up and patients reported a reduction in consultation rates and medication following hypnotherapy. It was concluded that hypnotherapy is a viable therapy for IBS and beneficial effects last for at least 5 years. On 28 October 2003, the lead researcher, Dr Wendy Gonsalkorale, interviewed on BBC News said "While other studies have shown that symptoms have improved by a course of hypnotherapy, the real significance is our finding that these effects are sustained after treatment sessions have finished, rather than patients just reverting back to their original state.  "We firmly believe that hypnotherapy should be available as a standard treatment for all patients with IBS."

75 patients with IBS in and Edinbugh Hospital were treated with Hypnotherapy by trained nurses. Physical symptoms and quality of life (emotional, mental health, sleep, physical function, energy and social role) significantly improved after hypnotherapy. These improvements were most marked in female patients who reported abdominal pain as their predominant physical symptom. Anxiety and depression improved following treatment. It was concluded that gut-directed hypnotherapy has a very positive impact on IBS being most effective in patients with abdominal pain and distension.

A study was carried out in the Netherlands with 53 patients aged 8-18 years suffering from IBS and abdominal pain. Half were treated with standard medical therapy (SMT) and half with Hypnotherapy. Pain decreased in both groups, but Hypnotherapy was highly superior, with a significantly greater reduction in pain scores compared with SMT. It was concluded that Hypnotherapy already known to be an effective treatment for adults with IBS, was also highly effective in the treatment of children with longstanding abdominal pain or IBS.

The young people in this research were followed up in 2011 after an interval of 5 years. Pain intensity and pain frequency scores at follow-up were 2.8 and 2.3 respectively in the Hypnotherapy group compared with 7.3 and 7.1 in the control group. It was concluded that the beneficial effects of Hypnotherapy are long lasting with two thirds still in remission almost 5 years after treatment, making it a highly valuable therapeutic option.

83 patients with IBS were treated with Hypnotherapy for 1 hour a week for up to 12 weeks. The great majority were satisfied or very satisfied with their treatment for symptom reduction and quality of life.

NICE guidelines for treatment of IBS in the NHS recommend that Hypnotherapy should be considered for patients who have not responded to medical treatment. The guidelines also call for further research into the effectiveness of Hypnotherapy for IBS. Much of the research reported above was not available at the time the guidelines were issued.