Stockbridge, Romsey, Winchester Hypnotherapist: How Can I Cure My IBS?

I’ve tried various medications and changes of diet but my symptoms still persist. It is ruining the quality of my life as every day I have to wake up and wonder how my bowels are going to react today. It’s knocking my confidence and I don’t go out as much as I used to. In fact, IBS is draining me not only physically but emotionally as well.

Medically the above would be termed as refractory IBS in that it’s stubborn and doesn’t respond to treatment. This indicates these patients need a more holistic approach in treating their gastrointestinal disorder. Treating IBS with clinical hypnotherapy as an adjunct to medical treatment gives patients more ownership of their own healing or symptom alleviation. In fact if IBS is not initially treated on a psychological level, the condition usually escalates with additional layers needing to be addressed such as depleted inner emotional strength leading to anxiety or even slippage into depression. Sensitive people can have sensitive guts and when stressed their bodies react in that area.

GP's Diagnostic Criteria: IBS Hypnotherapist Stockbridge, Romsey

Remember too that unless GP’s are certain in their diagnosis (Rome Criteria III) the patient may have lots of tests and intrusive investigations to rule out more serious conditions such as Bowel Cancer, Crohn’s Disease, Diverticulitis, food poisoning, gut infections, Polyps in the gut etc. It’s estimated that half of those referred to a gastroenterologist will end up with a diagnosis of IBS as all other options are ruled out. Being told it’s not life threatening is some comfort of course but the day to day management of IBS seems to erode self esteem and can really begin to put the brakes on life.

So patients are prescribed medications and given advice on changes in diet and left to experiment and try and find what works and what doesn’t. All medications have side effects and some if not monitored carefully actually make IBS worse. The patient in the meantime is learning to notice small changes in their body to prepare and pre-empt problems and thinking starts to become negative, anxious even with typical thoughts such “What if I need the loo?” starting to rule their day ( and behind the scenes firing off chemicals which affect the process of digestion ). There is evidence to show that fear leads to diarrhoea, anger to constipation and stress to hypersensitivity of the gut.

IBS An Embarrassing Problem:  IBS Hypnotherapist Stockbridge, Romsey

It can be an embarrassing problem that people don’t like to talk about, or people are so busy they hope it will just go away and rely on self medicating. It is estimated that 1 in 5 of the population report symptoms of IBS at some point in their lives with women being twice as likely as men to go to their doctor for help.

Over 20 years ago gastroenterologist Dr Peter Whorwell at the Withington Hospital in Manchester put 250 patients through a trial of hypnotherapy treatment with an astounding average improvement of 80% of their condition. A recent study showed it had helped 71% of patients for up to 5 years after their course of treatment. He wanted to find out whether a more holistic approach would benefit patients.

Initially he kept his findings under wraps until research proved it was effective. He was then successful in gaining a lottery grant to disseminate the knowledge throughout the NHS.

Treatment can be accessed via the NHS where trained hypnotherapists are employed such as in Rossendale Hospital.  IBS Hypnotherapist in Stockbridge and Romsey include myself and I am included on the specialist register in this region.

IBS Hypnotherapist Stockbridge, Romsey: Local Support For IBS

For those who aren’t lucky enough to live close to a hospital with that provision your GP can access fully qualified and registered hypnotherapists through the newly formed CNHC or the IBS register. Dependant on budgets GP’s may fund your treatment as this approach is supported in the NICE guidelines and obviously proves cost effective for the NHS in the long term if medication and GP’s time is not required, or not to the same degree.

There are 2 treatment models the 12 session model (GUT Directed) devised by Dr Peter Whorwell and the 5 session model (OPSIM) adapted from the original devised by Michel Mahoney.

Clinical hypnotherapy can start work right away on building up the inner strength after perhaps years of pain and discomfort being told by medical professionals that the condition has to be managed and therefore lived with.

IBS Hypnotherapy when conducted correctly can increase self esteem and confidence and allow the sufferer to halt the slide and begin a journey of self improvement and management, exchanging negative thoughts and feelings for positive ones thereby equipping the patients to move away from the symptoms and thoughts of their conditions. The hypnotherapist can then teach the patient to relax, accept the power of the mind and start the process of learning to regain control over bodily functions.

All therapists will see you for an initial consultation and explain in greater detail how the treatment works. Clinical hypnotherapy is not Stage Hypnosis which can be the reason some patients (or indeed their GP’s) shy away from seeking help. Clinical hypnotherapy is one to one and each session is tailored specifically to the individual with the hypnosis part recorded onto CD for the patient to listen to. In fact it’s very relaxing. So whether you see your therapist in a hospital setting or in the Stockbridge & Romsey IBS Hypnotherapist's place of work you can be assured that clinical trials have shown this to be the most effective way of helping patients with IBS.