Hypnotherapy for the Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Hypnosis has been shown to be an effective treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in a number of clinical studies. It is a common condition in which people get repeated episodes of stomach pain and discomfort, along with bowel problems such as diarrhoea and constipation. Some people get relief from lifestyle and diet changes or medicines, including peppermint oil and antispasmodic medication, but these treatments don’t help everyone.

The NHS UK website states that :

“UK guidelines say people should be offered IBS-focused hypnotherapycognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or psychological therapy if changes in diet and medications don’t work after 12 months”.  However there are no current mechanisms in place for GPs to refer clients to Hypnotherapists.  Therefore it is still necessary to go private to see a Clinical Hypnotherapist such as ourselves.

There is a wealth of research based evidence to support the use of Hypnotherapy in the treatment of IBS and it is a huge area of research in the hypnotherapy industry.

Please see some of the research findings in the links below:

https://gut.bmj.com/content/52/11/1623

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langas/article/PIIS2468-1253(18)30310-8/fulltext#%20

The way we treat the symptoms of IBS is to do an individual consultation with yourself to get a profile of your unique IBS symptoms and then design a tailored treatment plan for you.  Treatment uses a process of guided relaxation and visualisation to soothe and heal the digestive track as well as using techniques to reduce stress in the body and mind.

In most cases we recommend a course of hypnotherapy between 3-6 sessions depending on how each individual client responds.  Our current charge for sessions is £70.  The first sessions is 1 hour 30 minutes and subsequent sessions are 45 minutes to 1 hour.  All clients will get a relaxation MP3 to use and listen to at home between treatments.

In the UK, hypnotherapists don’t have to have any specific training by law, meaning anyone can advertise their services as a hypnotherapist. However you are advised to see a hypnotherapist who is a member of the CNHC (Complementary Natural Healthcare Council). The CNHC IS an independent UK regulator for complementary healthcare practitioners.

CNHC was set up with government support to protect the public by providing a UK voluntary register of health practitioners. CNHC’s register has been approved as an Accredited Register by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, a body accountable to Parliament.

At HMH Therapy our Hypnotherapists are all registered and regulated by the CNHC so you are in very safe hands.

Please call 07787 807609 to book an appointment or book online below:-