Is Hypnotherapy the best treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome? | Lifestyle

Is Hypnotherapy the best treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

by Dr.PhilHariram

Even though there is no abnormality of the gut in Irritable Bowel Syndrome, it is very distressing to the individual who has it. This syndrome is very common and it is estimated that as much as 20% of the global population has or had IBS. It is not just a heavy burden on the sufferer but to Health Professionals, the Health Providers and Industry. It is the most common condition seen by Gastroentologist.

There are numerous treatments ranging from drugs provided by the family doctor to over the counter treatment to psychological treatment. It is also clear that no one treatment works for everyone. Hypnotherapy, however, is the only treatment currently available that provides significant long term benefits.

If you understand how hypnotherapy works, it will become clear why it is such an effective treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. During hypnosis, the hypnotherapist puts the subject in a trance. If this trance is very deep, then the subject will drop down to Theta brainwave level. When fully awake, you are in Beta brainwave state.

When you are at Theta brainwave state, you are hyper-suggestible. In other words what ever the hypnotist says is likely to reach the Subconscious Mind because the filters that are likely to reject this information are relaxed.

In addition in Theta state, the hypnotherapist has access to the reality generator of REM sleep. Thus is why visualisation in Theta state is so effective. In the REM state, dreams occur and visualisation during REM sleep is like a dream. At the time it is very real. In REM state the brain cannot differentiate what is real or just imagination.

Visualisation and post hypnotic suggestions in Theta State in very effective. In Theta state, the hypnotherapist can gradually replace all the layers of negative information and replace them with positive ones. The benefits only result after there is change in belief, perception and expectation of your IBS.

Although there is likely to be excellent results following hypnotherapy, in IBS patients relapse can happen if doubts creep in that symptoms are going to return. Once thoughts are channelled in this direction, it is like giving the go ahead for symptoms to return. When symptoms return, more and more negative thoughts take residence in the Subconscious Mind and you are back to the same old familiar IBS.

I believe that all IBS patients should have hypnotherapy and the earlier the better. Well established sufferers have several layers of negative information in their mind and it will take longer to replace with positive info while newly diagnosed IBS patients will respond to only a few sessions because the hypnotherapist has less work to do.

Patients with severe or refractory IBS will need at least twelve weeks of hypnotherapy and often supplemented by self hypnosis at home. Research has shown very good results in these cases. There may be several explanation why hypnotherapy works in such cases but the simplest one is that the hypnotherapist is replacing negative information with positive ones in the minds of the IBS patients. It therefore makes sense that hypnotherapy should be offered as early as possible and thereby reduce several years of unnecessary distress in a condition where there is no real disease process.

DISCLAIMER: This article is provided as information only and is not to be taken as financial advice.

Author Dr. Phil Hariram spent over two decades years treating IBS. His easy to follow IBS treatment is producing results as good as or better than hypnotherapy. For the best IBS treatment check out his Healing IBS Program and collect his excellent free IBS eBook.