Hypnotherapy May Offer Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

London: Gut-directed hypnotherapy delivered by psychologists can potentially offer a new treatment option for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), that affects around one in five people worldwide, say researchers. IBS is a persistent and difficult-to-treat condition, with symptoms that can seriously affect the quality of life including abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhaoea, and constipation. For many sufferers, drug and dietary treatments are not successful. According to the study, hypnotherapy helped relieve irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms for some patients for as long as 9 nine months after the end of treatment. These patients reported a greater overall improvement in their condition and were more able to cope with, and were less troubled by, their symptoms. (IANS)