Help with Irritable Bowel Syndrome - IBS
It took a long time for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) to be recognised as a real condition and, given the variety of symptoms associated with IBS, it is in a sense a catch all diagnosis made by doctors when no specific cause can be found for the problem. It is a complex syndrome and also one which doctors find difficult to treat. Most doctors would freely admit that overall the response of the syndrome to medication interventions has been inconsistent. This has left a substantial proportion of patients with little or no lasting relief.
More effective medication for the treatment of IBS should come on stream over time and boost the range of medications currently used in the treatment of IBS. However, it is is thought unlikely that a single solution will ever be found, given the complex nature of the condition, and the fact that there is a psychological factor to the condition itself. Stress sufferers, for example, are much more prone to IBS.
Apart from medication, common methods used to attempt to control IBS include changes in diet, various alternative medicine techniques, probiotics, and psychological approaches. Among alternatives to medication, only psychological treatments have sufficient research to back up their use in the treatment of IBS. The jury is still out on the case for other options like homeopathy, probiotics and enterically coated peppermint oil capsules.
(click here for more information about probiotics and IBS www.nhs.uk/Conditions/probiotics/Pages/Introduction.aspx)
Among psychological treatments tested for the disorder, hypnosis has shown the highest success rate in replicated studies, with studies commonly showing an impressive 80% or more of the treated patients improving, and improvement commonly lasting for at least a couple of years.
One of the leading researchers into the use of Hypnotherapy with IBS is Professor Peter Whorwell at UHSM's Wythenshawe Hospital.
Prof. Whorwell is renowned for pioneering the treatment of IBS with hypnotherapy and his published research provides clear evidence of its effectiveness. In one study, he treated 250 IBS patients with 12 hypnotherapy sessions, and achieved a success-rate of around 70%. According to Professor Whorwell, IBS is ideal for treatment with hypnosis. In hypnosis patients are taught to focus on improving the function of the gut , thereby giving them techniques to gain control over their symptons. Patients are not required to explore past issues or hidden problems and just concentrate on looking forward and getting the IBS under better control.
Thanks to the work of Professor Whorwell and others, hypnotherapy is now acknowledged by the medical profession as an effective treatment for IBS, by itself or combined with medication and other treatment options. While there is no guarantee that it will work for you, it does have advantages which makes it an attractive option for many IBS sufferers with chronic and severe symptoms, for example:-
* It is one of the most successful treatment approaches for chronic IBS.
The response rate to treatment is 80% and better in most published studies to date.
* The treatment often helps individuals who have failed to see improvement with other methods.
* It is a uniquely comfortable form of treatment, relaxing, easy, painless and enjoyable.
* Hypnotherapy harnesses the healing power of the client's own mind and is free from negative side effects.
* The treatment can also result in improvement to other symptoms as well such as migraine or tension headaches.
* The beneficial effects of the treatment last long after the therapy has ended. According to research, individuals who improve as a result of Hypnotherapy IBS can generally look forward to years of reduced symptoms.
Stress can often trigger IBS symptoms such as spasms, cramps and other reactions affecting the small or large bowel. I find, therefore, that IBS clients can benefit positively from just learning how to relax properly. This tends to work well as an addition to the use of powerful visualisation techniques and body/mind reprogramming through Hypnosis.
More effective medication for the treatment of IBS should come on stream over time and boost the range of medications currently used in the treatment of IBS. However, it is is thought unlikely that a single solution will ever be found, given the complex nature of the condition, and the fact that there is a psychological factor to the condition itself. Stress sufferers, for example, are much more prone to IBS.
Apart from medication, common methods used to attempt to control IBS include changes in diet, various alternative medicine techniques, probiotics, and psychological approaches. Among alternatives to medication, only psychological treatments have sufficient research to back up their use in the treatment of IBS. The jury is still out on the case for other options like homeopathy, probiotics and enterically coated peppermint oil capsules.
(click here for more information about probiotics and IBS www.nhs.uk/Conditions/probiotics/Pages/Introduction.aspx)
Among psychological treatments tested for the disorder, hypnosis has shown the highest success rate in replicated studies, with studies commonly showing an impressive 80% or more of the treated patients improving, and improvement commonly lasting for at least a couple of years.
One of the leading researchers into the use of Hypnotherapy with IBS is Professor Peter Whorwell at UHSM's Wythenshawe Hospital.
Prof. Whorwell is renowned for pioneering the treatment of IBS with hypnotherapy and his published research provides clear evidence of its effectiveness. In one study, he treated 250 IBS patients with 12 hypnotherapy sessions, and achieved a success-rate of around 70%. According to Professor Whorwell, IBS is ideal for treatment with hypnosis. In hypnosis patients are taught to focus on improving the function of the gut , thereby giving them techniques to gain control over their symptons. Patients are not required to explore past issues or hidden problems and just concentrate on looking forward and getting the IBS under better control.
Thanks to the work of Professor Whorwell and others, hypnotherapy is now acknowledged by the medical profession as an effective treatment for IBS, by itself or combined with medication and other treatment options. While there is no guarantee that it will work for you, it does have advantages which makes it an attractive option for many IBS sufferers with chronic and severe symptoms, for example:-
* It is one of the most successful treatment approaches for chronic IBS.
The response rate to treatment is 80% and better in most published studies to date.
* The treatment often helps individuals who have failed to see improvement with other methods.
* It is a uniquely comfortable form of treatment, relaxing, easy, painless and enjoyable.
* Hypnotherapy harnesses the healing power of the client's own mind and is free from negative side effects.
* The treatment can also result in improvement to other symptoms as well such as migraine or tension headaches.
* The beneficial effects of the treatment last long after the therapy has ended. According to research, individuals who improve as a result of Hypnotherapy IBS can generally look forward to years of reduced symptoms.
Stress can often trigger IBS symptoms such as spasms, cramps and other reactions affecting the small or large bowel. I find, therefore, that IBS clients can benefit positively from just learning how to relax properly. This tends to work well as an addition to the use of powerful visualisation techniques and body/mind reprogramming through Hypnosis.