The good news is that hypnosis has been shown to be an effective treatment for IBS in a number of clinical studies.
If you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) you would know that it's not completely understood and are probably completely frustrated at how difficult it is to bring about change. No doubt you would have done every sort of healthy diet, looked into stool bacteria transplant and tried every type of gut balancing product on the market. The primary symptoms are tedious; gas, distended belly, abdominal pain, loose stools or constipation.
You have probably done your research and have understood that there are possible factors like genetics and prior adverse life experiences (e.g., infection, trauma) that can predispose someone to get IBS. The symptoms appear to result from disturbances in colonic motility and increased sensitivity to food, gas, or stool in the bowel. Finally, there is a tendency for the bowel to be overly reactive to various factors, which can amplify or bring about the symptoms. Examples include: eating, stress, emotional arousal, GI infections, menstrual period, or gaseous distension.
The composition of gut bacteria may affect aspects of health and disease. It may be that an alteration in the number and/or the kind of bacteria in our intestines contributes to IBS symptoms in some people. There are certainly theories around the brain and gut interactions but for now a cure-all has not been found.
Hypnotherapy for IBS involves relaxation, and then suggestions of imagery and sensations focused on the individual’s symptoms. Improvements in overall well-being, quality of life, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, and bloating have been noted. It may also help relieve other symptoms suffered by many people with IBS such as nausea. Hypnotherapy appears to offer symptomatic, psychological, and physiological benefit for 75% of patients in clinical studies.
What I have noticed working with clients with IBS, while doing Somatic Energy Therapy, is that they hold tension in the gut. They tend to react to stressful situations by a contraction of the gut. It's like a clamping down, as an emotional response in the same way someone might hold their stress in their neck and shoulders. Do you do this?
Contact to discuss whether I can help you:
Diana Joy
Balmain Hypnotherapy, Sydney
diana@dianajoy.com.au
0414 4867 707
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