Hypnosis ‘can be effective against irritable bowel syndrome’

Hypnotherapy could prove to be an effective method of helping irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients overcome their symptoms.

The Sahlgrenska Academy of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden has conducted a study involving a total of 346 patients, which revealed that hypnosis can offer lasting relief for even severe symptoms of the disease.

IBS is a common condition for which effective treatment options are lacking, but this hypnosis-based study showed that the method offered long-term alleviation for 40 percent of patients.

It allows patients to learn to control their symptoms through deep relaxation and individually adapted hypnotic suggestions, techniques they can then apply to everyday life.

Researcher Magnus Simren said: "The conclusion is that hypnotherapy could reduce both the consumption of healthcare and the cost to society, and that hypnosis therefore belongs in the arsenal of treatments for IBS."

IBS is an incurable and common condition that can cause discomfort, bloating and irregular bowel movements, with NHS estimates suggesting that between ten and 20 percent of people will be affected at some point.