Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder of the intestines that leads to a cramp-like pains, gassiness, bloating and noticeable change in bowel habits. The symptoms of IBS suffers can be different in each suffer.
IBS suffers may experience a combination of some of the following symptoms contractions, spasms, cramps, diarrhoea, constipation bloating nausea, excess wind vomiting and indigestion, with one symptom in particular occurring more regularly or with greater severity. The symptoms vary from the mild, where the quality of life is not really affected, to the extremely sever, prompting the sufferer to seek medical assistance. Because Irritable Bowel Syndrome is such a loose collection of symptoms, there is no one definitive ‘cure’ for IBS.
However, there are a number of self-help treatments that can alleviate and improve symptoms, such as diet and complementary therapies such as hypnosis.
Through the years, IBS has been called by many names; colitis, mucous colitis, spastic colon, spastic bowel, and functional bowel disease. However, the majority of these terms are inaccurate. For example, colitis means inflammation of the large intestine, the colon. IBS, however, does not cause inflammation and therefore should not be confused with another disorder, ulcerative colitis.
The cause of IBS is not known, and as yet there is no absolute cure. A doctor of medicine would call it a functional disorder because there is no sign of any disease when the colon is examined. IBS causes a great deal of discomfort and disease, but it does not appear to cause permanent harm to the intestines and does not lead to intestinal bleeding of the bowel or to the development of serious diseases such as cancer. For some people IBS is just a mild annoyance. But to a growing number it can be completely disabling. Those who suffer greatly may be unable to go to social events, unable to go to work, or even travel short distances. Fortunately most people with IBS do manage to control their symptoms through medications prescribed by their physicians, management of diet, stress management, and hypnotherapy.
The potential for abnormal function of the colon is always present in people with IBS, but in order for the symptoms to present themselves there must be some trigger event, evidence suggests the most likely culprits are diet and emotional stress. many people report that their symptoms occur following a meal or when they are under stress. No one is sure why this happens, but scientists have some clues. Understanding IBS is important because it is easily confused with other similar digestive disorders, such as inflammatory bowel diseases.
When people have experienced upsetting incidents in the past the emotional memories of those events can stay inside the mind. This leads to an over sensitivity to current day stress. With these repressed under currents of stress permanently present, the body often develops problems with digestion. These digestive problems lead in turn to the physical symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Hypnotherapy can be effective by helping the sufferer to relax, thus easing the symptoms that are causing stress. Hypnotherapy can be effective in teaching powerful creative visualisations techniques, for example, getting the client to magine the symptom being relived. When the client is in a light hypnotic trance the unconscious mind becomes receptive to carefully crafted suggestions. In fact, once the conscious mind’s censor has been by-passed and the unconscious mind has accepted my suggestion, then that suggestion must be implemented. In other words an accepted suggestion must be followed by motor action; the motor action in this case the relief and control of IBS symptoms.
Another approach that has also proved an important breakthrough in the treatment of IBS is known as gut directed Hypnotherapy. This was first developed about twenty years ago in Manchester. Research has shown gut directed hypnotherapy to be 60–80% successful, more importantly follow up studies have indicated that where improvements occur they tend to be permanent (rather than offering just temporary relief). The approach involves induction of hypnosis followed by a sequence of suggestions aimed at normalising bowel movements and removing pain and bloating. Treatment is usually short term. In between sessions the client listens to a series of specially produced CD on a daily basis to reinforce the treatment. I also monitor the clients progress by completing various charts.
For IBS, one of hypnotherapy’s greatest benefits is its well-established ability to reduce the effects of stress. The clients’ state of mind can have a direct impact on their physical well being, even when they are in the best of health. If a person is struggling with IBS, the tension, anxiety and depression that comes from living with an incurable illness can actually undermine the defensive abilities of the immune system and further compromise basic health. Hypnotherapy can reduce this stress and its resulting negative impact by placing the sufferer in a deeply relaxed state thus promoting positive thoughts and coping strategies, and clearing the mind of its negative attitudes. IBS in fact is uniquely suited to treatment by Hypnotherapy for several reasons. First, as just noted stress related attacks can be significantly reduced. Secondly one of the most impressive aspects from Hypnotherapy, and of tremendous benefit to IBS sufferers is its well-documented ability to relieve virtually all types and degree of pain.
An important point to note is that IBS is not a disease at all but a syndrome. If sufferers can prevent the symptoms, or be released from them, then they have effectively been cured of the disorder. The underlying dysfunction may still be present but if the subject no longer suffers noticeable effects from it then they will be living an IBS free life. This outcome is a definite possibility from my Hypnotherapy treatments. As with many other alternative therapies, there is solid evidence that Hypnotherapy can provide lasting benefits for many patients, there is uncertainty about precisely how and why the treatments work. Most scientists believe that Hypnotherapy acts upon the unconscious, and affects the body’s regulation of involuntary reactions that are normally beyond a person’s control. Hypnotherapy puts their autonomic responses under the patients’ power. Fortunately treatment is suitable for people of all ages and physical condition as there are no risks or side effects.
Typically a course of treatment for IBS consists of five sessions of Hypnotherapy spread over a twelve week period. After each session the patient is given a specially prepared CD to listen to on a regular basis at home. Generally speaking a single session of Hypnotherapy or two will not be sufficient to over come a long-standing condition such as IBS. It will also take a little time and dedication to the therapy on the part of the client to achieve the desired outcome.
