Vonda J. Sines discusses current research showing benefits of treating IBS with hypnosis . . . findings of a thesis prepared by Swedish scientists suggest that hypnotherapy can reduce the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The researchers propose treating those suffering from severe IBS with hypnosis to gain lasting relief from the ailment.
The research team is from the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. According to ScienceDaily, they targeted the use of hypnosis to treat those patients with severe suffering from IBS.
Between 10 to 15 percent of Swedes have this condition. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse reports that estimates of IBS patients in the United States range from as low as 3 to as high as 20 percent of the population. The illness is common in people younger than 45 and develops about twice as often in women than in men.
IBS is considered a functional gastrointestinal disorder. Doctors diagnose it after a person has experienced abdominal pain or discomfort a minimum of three times a month during the preceding three months. IBS used to be described as spastic colon or spastic bowel. Typical symptoms include cramping and either diarrhea or constipation — sometimes all three.
Experts have never been able to pinpoint the cause of IBS. Patients with the severest symptoms find that they currently have no effective treatment.
The Swedish research was part of a thesis that promoted hypnosis as a valuable component of clinical care of these patients. Four studies showed it helps treats IBS even when performed outside specialized hypnotherapy centers.
Hypnosis improves gastrointestinal function, the researchers say, and boosts the quality of life of those affected by IBS. They also report that patient satisfaction is very high.
For decades, many people have confused IBS with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) because they share some of the same symptoms. The two principal types of IBD are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stresses that IBD is more serious than IBS, which is not characterized by the inflammation of IBD.
Since I have Crohn’s disease, when one of my children developed persistent diarrhea and abdominal pain, I was concerned that she might also have IBD. As many as 20 percent of IBD patients have a first-degree relative with the ailment, according to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America.
We began testing my daughter at around age 8 but got no definitive answers. Once she moved into her teen years, the doctor and I assumed from her continuing symptoms and my history that she probably had a form of IBD.
It wasn’t until she reached adulthood that she finally received a diagnosis of IBS. Although we were relieved that it wasn’t IBD, she still suffered and often missed work. It’s likely after hearing about this study that she’ll investigate treating IBS with hypnosis, in addition to the lifestyle changes she’s already made.
Speaking of hypnosis, you can learn a whole slew of new techniques by checking out our video training programs in hypnosis which are in general release.
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Brian
www.BrianDavidPhillips.net
