How Hypnosis Helps with IBS
What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome? No one seems to know for sure. Ask the medical community and it seems to be a confusing cluster of symptoms that have no real remedy.
Ask a person who has been struggling with IBS, though, and they will not be so unclear: IBS is a serious problem that causes pain and makes life difficult. At best, it is living with discomfort and symptoms that just make doctors shrug. At worst, it is gut wrenching pain, and stomach events that can be painful, traumatic, and humiliating.
The cause of IBS has not really been determined. Theories, though, about the cause are varied, and range from dietary issues such as food allergies, to an overly sensitive enteric (or gastrointestinal) nervous system, to bile acid malabsorption, to chronic alcohol abuse, to peristalsis, to a sedentary lifestyle.
It may be that all these elements make the symptoms of IBS worse. We do know, however, that a series of changes seem to help most people with these symptoms.
It might be helpful to start a diary or journal. Keep a running log of food eaten and symptoms. It would also be helpful to note other factors such as stress level, exercise, medication taken, or anything else you think might be impacting your symptoms. Think like a detective, look for clues and emerging patterns.
Another step would be to make sure you are eating regular, well balanced meals. This means eating at the same time each day, three times a day. Eating too little at one meal, and then too much at another can induce symptoms. Make a habit of eating regular meals that are balanced, that is, that contain a combination of macro nutrients. Allow sufficient time to eat your meals and allow yourself time for regular bathroom habits.
How Hypnosis Helps
Many clinical studies show that hypnosis helps reduce or eliminate symptoms of IBS. Hypnosis that uses progressive relaxation techniques, stress reduction, along with suggestions specific to a client's particular symptoms or concerns seems to be most effective. One study, done at Britain's University of Manchester, showed that hypnosis helped 70% of IBS patients treated.
Hypnosis offers symptomatic and psychological benefits along with physical relief of symptoms. What's more, in follow up studies, clients who used hypnosis to reduce or eliminate their symptoms were found to still be symptom free five years after terminating hypnosis!
Why Does Hypnosis Work?
The digestive system is very sensitive to stress. Stress makes symptoms of IBS worse. Hypnosis, by its very nature, helps clients not only reduce stress, but also be better able to cope with stressful situations, so that their overall level of stress is reduced.
The vagus nerve runs from the brain through the whole digestive system, and controls much of the digestive process. Vagal tone, or the health of the vagus nerve, impacts the health of the digestive system. Hypnosis has been shown to improve vagal tone, so it impacts the health of the digestive system.
The brain and body have powerful tools for healing. Our bodies want to be healthy, and they want to heal. The healing abilities of our brains and bodies are released during sleep. The immune system, autophagy, growth hormones, and other healing processes are activated during sleep, which is why we often feel better from ailments after a good night's rest.
Hypnosis mimics certain stages of sleep. When clients are in hypnosis, as shown in studies using MRI technology, brain activity and brain waves look a lot like sleep. Hypnosis has the power to release the healing powers of the body that are only available to us when we sleep deeply. Some studies show that the brain, under hypnosis, can target certain things to heal; the suggestions given during hypnosis can help the brain and body "decide" where to target healing.
Hypnosis can also improve sleep quality and duration. Most hypnotists teach their clients self hypnosis, and give them strategies to help improve and deepen sleep, so the powers of healthy sleep are not only activated in session, but carried out once the client is home as well.
Through stress reduction, improved self care, improved sleep, and hypnosis, IBS symptoms can become much more manageable. If you are interested in learning more, contact me. Inquiries are always free and I would be happy to answer any questions or provide any information via email, text, or by phone call! Contact me today and start on your healing journey!
