Managing Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Hypnotherapy – IBS Help

IBS is an uncomfortable condiion of the gut that hypnotherapy can help.IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) is a common condition that effects your digestive system badly. Symptoms of IBS include spastic bowel (stomach cramps), feeling bloated often, having diarrhoea and conversely, having constipation as well as other issues. Its exact cause remains unknown but, there are links with stress, some foods, lack of exercise and having a family history of it. Hypnotherapy can help with IBS by offering your sub-conscious mind different approaches to coping with the stress and anxiety that are linked to it. The coping tools you will learn during an IBS hypnotherapy session can help improve your wellbeing in both the short and long term. Don’t suffer inappropriate surgeries treatment get hypnotherapy today. CONTACT US today for IBS help using hypnotherapy.

Understanding IBS – You Are Not Alone Many People Suffer

NIDDKA (2017) tells us IBS is defined as a functional disorder of your gastrointestinal system (stomach and intestines). They go on to say it is a disorder of gut-brain interaction, in other words how your gut and brain work together. Nice (2023) tells us the total number of people with IBS could be up to 1 in 5 people or more. The thing is, many people do not seek help for it and thus, there may be many undiagnosed cases. More women than men suffer from it. Its onset tends to be in younger people aged 20 to 40 years old. However don’t worry there is some good evidence saying hypnotherapy can help IBS. Text or call 07979 814388 for an appointment today.

Symptoms of IBS Vary From Person to Person

Common symptoms include:

  • Tummy pain or cramps relieved by pooing.
  • Regularly feeling bloated.
  • Recurring diarrhoea, and or constipation.
  • Feeling depressed or low mood.

Less common IBS symptoms are:

  • Increased fluctuance (wind / farting).
  • Passing whiteish mucus with your stools.
  • Peeing more often than normal.
  • Feeling as though your movements are not complete.
  • Feeling dizzy.
  • Muscular pains
  • General tiredness.
  • Bouts of nausea (feeling sick).

Ask to see a doctor urgently:

  • If you are having suicidal thoughts.
  • If you have lost a lot of weight without good reason.
  • Have blood in your stools.
  • Bleeding from your anus.
  • Have a hard tummy lump.
  • Have a swollen stomach.
  • Find that you are short of breath.
  • Have a noticeably faster heart rate.
  • Have noticed a paler complexion.

Triggers & Causes of IBS

Irritable bowel syndrome is a complex gut dysfunction issue and medical science doesn’t fully understand what causes it. There is no single definitive reason why IBS happens to some people. However, after much study there do seem to be some common triggers for this uncomfortable condition many of which hypnotherapy is renowned for being able to help.

  • Experiencing overwhelming stress, anxiety and or depression can all cause and be caused by IBS.
  • Having a traumatic life event can trigger IBS. People who have suffered gastroenteritis seem prone to it. Inflammatory bowel disease can cause it.
  • Taking some medications can affect your bowel which triggers it.
  • Eating too quickly seems to be linked to it.
  • Eating generally unhealthy foods that are fatty, spicy, or highly processed may cause it.
  • Drinking too much alcohol has bene linked as a trigger.
  • Too much caffeine (from tea or coffee) and or fizzy drinks may trigger IBS.
  • Having a family history of IBS can mean it gets passed on to you.        
Mind & Body Link - Role of Hypnotherapy in Helping IBS

image of the mind body connection in balanceSo how can hypnotherapy help you with your IBS? To begin with there is a fundamental link between the body and mind. For example, when you touch your tummy with your hand there are electrochemical signals that travel along your nerves up your spinal cord to your brain where they are processed as a hand touching your tummy feeling. Part of this is controlled by the conscious mind (I want to move my hand to touch my tummy). Another part of this is controlled by the body and nervous system (nerves sending messages). A further part is the sub-conscious mind (the processing of this as a feeling of being touched). This mind body link is all fine and dandy when it works properly. However, sometimes it becomes confused and doesn’t work properly as is the case with IBS.

There is a lot of evidence supporting hypnotherapy as an aid to IBS. Anxiety and stress are known to have negative effects on the digestive system (stomach and intestines) and immune system. Hypnotherapy can help your subconscious mind to relax, destress and calm the symptoms of IBS. This can happen due to the offering of therapeutic, relaxing visualisations. In plain terms when you relax your gut relaxes too.

peaceful smppyj flowing river metaphor for your gutSymptoms can also be reduced using Gut Directed Hypnotherapy Treatments as developed by Professor Whorwell of Manchester University. In this technique you are deeply relaxed under hypnosis and are directed to visualise a river (metaphor for your gut). You are then asked to clear the pathway for the river water, removing all the debris and rocks so it can begin flowing freely and smoothly. This clearing happens over several sessions. Repetition allows you subconscious mind to accept this as the new normal for your gut as opposed to the chaos IBS causes.

In plain English practice makes perfect. Practicing clearing the debris regularly can allow for more perfect gut / river flow. The above is for those suffering IBS with constipation. If it were diarrhoea based, you would shore up the river making it to run slower.

Better Coping With IBS in the Short & Long Term

picture of an anchor after which this treatment is namedThe above river example is a calming, soothing metaphor that can help you deal with IBS linked stress and anxiety. You may also be asked to “anchor” this calm, relaxed feeling you are experiencing. This anchoring is done by fully understanding the relaxation you are feeling and then channelling it into your thumb and finger as you touch the two together.

So, as you are sitting there now, with the river (your gut) running smoothly and perfectly just the way you want it to, allow all of those wonderful, relaxed feeling to move down either your left or right arm. Allow all that relaxation to then flow into your thumb and a single finger of that hand, which you now clasp tother. Yes. As you touch that thumb and finger together you can feel all that wonderful relaxation, right here, right now. You can feel that relaxation coursing through your entire body and your gut as you press and release that thumb and finger together. Calm, relaxation as you press and release. Yes, press and release that thumb and finger. Now you have a tool to relax your body and your gut any time it is safe to do so. Press and release to be calm. Press and release to relax your gut. Yes. That’s really good. Well done.

References:

Waller D et al (2014) The Hypnotherapy Handbook: Helping you to help your clients Helping Handbooks. Kindle Edition.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (2017) [online] available from  https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/irritable-bowel-syndrome/definition-facts last access 01/03/2025

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/irritable-bowel-syndrome/background-information/prevalence/

https://www.bupa.co.uk/health-information/digestive-gut-health/irritable-bowel-syndrome

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs/

https://www.theibsnetwork.org/have-i-got-ibs/

https://www.ahahypnotherapy.org.au/static/uploads/files/ibs-bruni-brewin-wfpfuvzxgtvl.pdf

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00029157.2015.1039114

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