IBS and Hypnotherapy

It is estimated that between 10 and 20% of people worldwide suffer with Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Typically, pharmaceutical approach involves anti-spasmodic medications, antidepressants and antidiarrhoeals. This is often accompanied by dietary modifications. A case study by Walters and Oakley (2006) found that after ten sessions of hypnosis there was an overall reduction of 64% in IBS symptoms. A 9 month follow up indicated that there was further improvement with time, with the IBS patient reporting a 72% improvement at this time point. How hypnosis works with IBS is not entirely understood but is believed to modulate gastrointestinal physiology, alter central processing of noxious stimuli and influence immune function (Whorwell, 2008).