Hypnotherapy was recommended by NICE in 2008 for chronic cases of irritable bowel syndrome. Click here for NICE guidelines Dr Peter Whorwell of Manchester University Medical School is the leading expert in the treatment of IBS with hypnotherapy. Click here for more. Dr Wendy Gonalkorale is a researcher working with Dr Whorwell. Read about her research here.
Although no-one really knows the cause of irritable bowel syndrome, the methods developed by Dr Whorwell have been shown to improve the symptoms with over 70% success. Dr Whorwell explains that IBS is ideal for treatment with hypnosis. "During hypnotherapy, sufferers learn how to influence and gain control of their gut function, and then seem able to change the way the brain modulates their gut activity. We have found it to help all the symptoms, whereas some of the drugs available reduce only a few". As you will know, IBS is called a functional disorder because it is the function of the gut which is impaired rather than the tissue itself. Often in trying to work out the cause of IBS , invasive investigations are carried out which can cause permanent structural damage. Hypnosis is a non-invasive treatment, and it has a successful track record. Here is a useful IBS factsheet
RSS Feed