Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic disease that affects many people around the world. This disease can have a significant impact on quality of life, with symptoms such as abdominal pain. However, new research has revealed that hypnotherapy can improve the lives of people with this condition.
People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may experience the following symptoms:
some common approaches
In the past, some studies have suggested that IBS patients may also benefit from:
Now, experts from Utrecht University Medical Center and other institutions in the Netherlands delve deeper into the question of whether and how hypnotherapy can improve IBS symptoms. did.
Researchers recently conducted a randomized controlled trial.
This study evaluated the effectiveness of individual and group hypnotherapy in IBS. This is the largest study to date examining this issue.
In this study, researchers worked with 354 participants with IBS between the ages of 18 and 65. Scientists randomly selected participants to participate in one of her three interventions:
- 45-minute private hypnotherapy sessions twice a week for 6 weeks (150 participants)
- Group hypnotherapy sessions in the same time frame (150 participants)
- Dedicated educational supportive care sessions (54 participants)
To deliver the hypnotherapy sessions, the team employed psychologists trained in hypnotherapy. During the session, the hypnotherapist applied positive visualization techniques and provided suggestions for managing pain and discomfort.
Participants were also given a CD containing materials to enable them to practice hypnosis techniques on their own for 15 to 20 minutes each day.
The researchers asked participants to fill out a questionnaire that assessed various factors related to the study, including the severity of their IBS symptoms, quality of life, medical costs, and how often they had to miss work due to the condition. I was asked to fill it out.
Assessments were performed at baseline, 3 months, and 9 months. The researchers also assessed how much relief participants experienced immediately after the intervention (at 3 months) and after 9 months.
Scientists found that IBS patients who participated in hypnotherapy, whether on an individual or group basis, experienced the most satisfactory degree of symptom relief compared to participants in the educational supportive care group. did.
Participants who received hypnotherapy continued to benefit from it even nine months after treatment. However, the researchers claim that despite reporting satisfactory rates of symptom relief, participants did not actually experience significant improvements in symptom severity itself.
“We don’t know exactly how gut-directed hypnotherapy works,” said lead researcher Dr. Carla Frick. It processes pain and regulates intestinal activity. ”
Besides symptom reduction, the factors tested (including quality of life, psychological problems, medical costs, and absenteeism) remained largely the same for all participants after the intervention.
The researchers also acknowledged that their study had some limitations. For example, some participants (22 (15 percent) of the participants in the individual hypnotherapy group, an additional 22 (15 percent) of the participants in the group hypnotherapy session, and a further 22 (15 percent) of the participants in the educational supportive care group. Of these, 11 (20 percent) dropped out. of research.
Also, a significant number of participants did not complete all questionnaires, which may have influenced the results, the researchers said.
However, the researchers note that the results recorded in the recent study may have actually been an underestimate, as the hypnotherapists were not particularly experienced in treating IBS patients.
Participants also received only six hypnotherapy sessions, which is only half the number of sessions a person would normally be expected to receive.
“Our study shows that hypnotherapy may be considered as a treatment option for IBS patients, regardless of symptom severity or IBS subtype. There is also hope that group hypnotherapy can be just as effective as individual sessions, and if further research confirms this, it may be possible for more people to receive hypnotherapy at a lower cost. ”
Dr. Kara Frick
“What is surprising about these findings is the extent to which patients’ perceptions of their illness influence their suffering, and that patients’ perceptions of their symptoms appear to be as important as the actual severity of their symptoms. “, Dr. Frick added.
