Hypnotherapy as a Treatment for IBS

Hypnotherapy is one of the best known and most widely used treatments for IBS, and can offer sufferers a drug-free solution to their symptoms of diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain and bloating.

There are now many hundreds of hypnotherapists who offer what is called "gut-directed hypnotherapy" for IBS, which takes the general techniques of hypnotherapy and applies them directly to the abdominal pain and digestive symptoms which IBS sufferers struggle with. This type of hypnotherapy has been clinically tested and found to be very helpful to many IBS patients.

One of the first studies of hypnotherapy for IBS was conducted by Dr Peter Whorwell, a leading expert on IBS and hypnotherapy in the UK. A trial he conducted in the 1980s found that a group of IBS sufferers who had failed to respond to other treatments showed dramatic improvements when treated with gut-directed hypnotherapy. Since then, other therapists have shown similar results.

What hypnotherapy involves

Hypnotherapy in a medical setting bears no relation to the kind of stage hypnosis where volunteers are made to do ridiculous things in the name of entertainment. In fact, patients remain entirely in control of their own actions, and are simply coaxed into a kind of deep relaxation state.

While the patients is in this state the therapist will talk to you and make positive suggestions ? one typical method for IBS is to ask you to place your hand over your abdomen and imagine that a healing warmth is flowing from your hand to your stomach.

Some hypnotherapists will record each session for you so that you can listen to them again between your appointments, and therefore increase the effectiveness of the therapy.

Self-hypnosis

If you don't have the time or the resources to visit a qualified hypnotherapist, you might find some relief in one of the self-hypnosis CDs available, which can be listened to in the comfort of your own home.

While you will not get an individual treatment program from a ready-made CD, you will be able to benefit from the general hypnosis approach, and you can choose to listen to the CDs whenever you have the time.

The IBS Audio Program, developed by the UK hypnotherapist Michael Mahoney, is the most widely used program for IBS sufferers, and is available on audio CD and cassette. The program is designed to be used over 100 days, and includes four CDs and a program booklet. The makers claim that around 80% of listeners experience a significant reduction of pain and bowel dysfunction.

The program consists of three therapeutic session CDs, with an introduction and five different hypnotherapy sessions. It also includes a bonus fourth CD (the IBS Companion), which explains IBS to non-sufferers.

Sophie Lee has suffered from IBS for more than 15 years. She runs IBS Tales http://www.ibstales.com where you can read hundreds of personal stories of IBS and self-help tips.

---

Substance Abuse Attitude Testing by a Standardized Survey

This is a short overview of a questionnaire used for... Read More

Propulsid Litigation Lawyer Says: Unnecessary Drug Killed 80 People

Propulsid was a popular nighttime heartburn drug before it was... Read More

Zyprexa Lawsuits

Zyprexa is an antipsychotic medication that works by changing the... Read More

Orthotics and Your Feet

Orthotics are devices which fit into the shoe to aid... Read More

Heart Disease: The Dangers Of Coronary Heart Attack And How To Avoid It

What is a coronary heart attack?Are you at the risk... Read More

Integrative Medicine And Its Future

The NBC National News, quoted the Washington Post in March... Read More

Orthotics: Prefab or Custom-Made?

If you take a simple stroll down the foot product... Read More

Seroquel Side Effects: Effects of Seroquel Worth the Risk?

Seroquel is an atypical antipsychotic drug that is used to... Read More

Medical Testing: Health By The Numbers Doesnt Work

Perhaps one of the most insidious dangers in modern technology... Read More

Lunesta Revealed: 7 Things You Must Know Before You Buy Lunesta Prescriptions

Lunesta is a newly released sleeping pill. Marketed as a... Read More

Bextra and Vioxx -- Tips for Arthritis Relief Without Them

The recent withdrawal of Vioxx and Bextra from the marketplace,... Read More

Bextra and Vioxx Withdrawal Spurs Price Increase Among Rivals

The market for painkillers is huge. People don't like pain... Read More

Flatfeet in Children: When Are They A Problem?

There are high arch feet and low arch feet and... Read More

Paxil Recall Lawyer Discusses Paxil Addiction

Paxil went on the market in 1992 at the height... Read More

Rogue Online Pharmacies: The Internet War Of 2005

Online Pharmacy owners who haven't been working within moral and... Read More

Lunesta Memory Problems

Lunesta may be the only sleeping pill that is FDA... Read More

Natural Vitamin E Combined with Vitamin C for Treatment of Alzheimers Disease

Checklist of Treatments for Alzheimer's DiseasePart 2 of 82. Vitamin... Read More

Alprazolam/Xanax ? A Habit Forming Drug

Xanax is a Prescription Drug which is habit forming. You... Read More

The Ease of Using a Motorized Wheelchair to Improve Mobility

No person likes to feel housebound and dependent on others.... Read More

Health Needs of Survivors of Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is not over when the victim is safe... Read More

Treating Lazy Eye in Older Children

Many eye doctors believed until recently that if a child's... Read More

Common Drugs and Their Uses

The five drugs that are discussed in this article are... Read More

A Closer Look at Lower Back Pain Relief

As many as 8 out of 10 adults will experience... Read More

Online Pharmacies are Making it Possible for Internet Consumers to Acquire Prescriptions Online

Internet Pharmacies are convenient and quick, but some websites selling... Read More

Online Pharmacies and the FDA

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is responsible for overseeing... Read More

SUPERLASIK- Enhance Your Vision; Safer Than LASIK

Things are moving forward and new and advanced procedures are... Read More

Sinusitis: Sinus Infection Deals a Corporate KO

Sinusitis and Sinus Infection Starts with a Little SniffleYes, I... Read More

Healthcare Providers -- Its Time for Your Physical

I think this is a good time for a checkup,... Read More

The Check Doctor Credentials Theory

In 2003, there where more than 890 million doctor visits... Read More

Redux Lawyer Discusses Fen-Phen Fad

In the early nineties, Redux was the original miracle diet... Read More

Pain Relief Drugs 101 What You Need to Know

Ever given a piece of thought to how actually one... Read More

Amazing Shoulder Pain Reversing Secrets!

Whether you're a weekend athlete, or a gardener that overdid... Read More

I Hurt All Over... How to Ease Away the Pain of Fibromyalgia!

At one moment, a life of activity consumed with enjoyable... Read More