Do you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?
Does your IBS medicine fail to help?
Did you know that hypnosis for IBS and gut-directed hypnotherapy is a recognised medical treatment?

Hypnosis for IBS can relax the muscles of your gut and change the way your brain processes messages from your gut. Hypnosis for IBS can even change the amount of acid produced by your stomach!
What’s more, there are absolutely no side effects!

Many studies have shown that more than 70% of people who had hypnosis for IBS found their symptoms permanently improved.
This article explains what causes IBS and why hypnosis for IBS is such an effective and recommended treatment.

Contents

1. Introduction
2. What causes IBS?
3. How does diet affect IBS?
4. What are the IBS symptoms?
5. How does lifestyle affect IBS?
6. How does stress affect the digestive system?
7. The nervous system and digestive system
8. How can IBS be treated?
9. Why is hypnosis for IBS an effective treatment?
10. How can hypnotherapy help me with IBS?

Introduction

I personally had hypnosis for IBS about 20 years ago and I know first hand how effective hypnosis for IBS can be.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition. IBS is an extremely common disorder of the gastrointestinal system which affects approximately 10% of people.
Women tend to be more affected than men and it affects young and old alike.

It is not a disorder that you can catch or pass on to others.
While some people find they can manage their IBS, others find it has a very negative effect on the quality of their life and needs medical assistance.

What causes IBS?

There is no one single factor but instead, multiple factors that cause IBS.
Different factors contribute to varying degrees from person to person.
Some contribute more, some contribute less to each person.

Two different people with identical symptoms can have different factors that cause their IBS.
What is important is the total contribution of all these factors in managing your IBS.
These are some of the important factors that cause IBS:

• overactive gut
• oversensitive gut
• pain signalling
• bacteria imbalance
• genetics
• stress

Overactive gut

Overactive gut muscle leads to gut spasms that can cause considerable discomfort and pain.
Spasms can occur in any part of the gut and can be overwhelming for IBS suffers.
Some gut spasms may last only a few minutes whereas others can last considerably longer.

Oversensitive gut

IBS sufferers can have an oversensitive lining of the gut.
This means they are very aware of their gut activity, including their stomach, intestines, or bowels.

Pain signalling

Pain signals are normally filtered in the brain stem before they reach the brain.
But with IBS, too many pain signals are sent to the brain.
People with IBS become hyper-aware of sensations and pain in their gut.
This gut pain then leads to an over-sensitive and over-reactive gut.
For example, an upset stomach in a healthy person may last a day or two whereas someone with IBS, it may last a week or two.

Bacteria imbalance

Gut bacteria play an essential role in gut health and if this delicate balance is disrupted then overall health can be affected.
Gut motility, antibiotics, and diet can have a negative impact on the growth of bacteria in your gut.
A slow-moving gut can lead to a disruption in the healthy balance of bacteria in your gut.
In addition, antibiotics kill good and bad bacteria alike, disrupting the healthy balance.

Genetics

IBS has been shown to run in families which suggests there is a genetic link.
But genetics on its own is not normally a strong enough factor to mean someone will develop IBS.
Genetics combined with one, two or other factors are generally needed to cause IBS.

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How does diet affect IBS?

People with IBS generally develop intolerances to certain foods rather than food allergies.

A food allergy is an immune reaction to food for which you have certain antibodies.
Food allergies are very rapid and happen within minutes and can include abdominal pain, itching, hives, swellings and breathlessness.

On the other hand, food intolerances are not caused by an immune response and happen much more slowly.
Not all foods irritate the gut in the same way and some foods irritate the gut more than others.
Excluding the foods that irritate the gut can be a very useful treatment option.

It is advisable to remove all foods that irritate the gut from your diet and slowly reintroduce them one by one, so you can determine which foods are the worst offenders.

Many IBS sufferers report that their symptoms improve when they eat regular small meals rather than one or two large meals a day.
It is also recommended to avoid eating meals late at night.

Drinks

Moderate fluid intake is recommended and care should be taken to avoid consuming large quantities of water as some IBS sufferers also have an irritable bladder.

Still water is best since sparkling water and sodas make gas and bloating worse.

Drinking large volumes of water does not necessarily improve constipation so it is important to drink just the right amount depending on your lifestyle and circumstances.

Alcohol can sometimes cause problems however gin and vodka are better tolerated than beer and wine.

Tea causes fewer problems than coffee so it appears caffeine is not the problem.

Fibre

The general advice is to eat a high fibre diet to maintain a healthy gut and prevent disease.
Fibre also encourages the growth of good bacteria that is important for a healthy gut.

There are two main types of fibre:

• soluble fibre e.g. oats, root vegetables, psyllium
• insoluble fibre e.g. wholemeal bread, seeds, wholegrain cereals.

Fibre has a laxative effect on the gut and surprisingly bran fibre can make IBS worse, not better.

Fibre can improve constipation but insoluble fibre can also increase bloating, pain and gas.
If you need to increase your intake of fibre, IBS sufferers are advised to eat soluble fibre, such as oats and psyllium.
If you have diarrhoea, then you should be careful with all forms of fibre due to its laxative effect.

FODMAPs

Fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs) have been shown to make IBS symptoms worse.
FODMAPs are found in a variety of food.

Research has shown that excluding foods that are high in FODMAPs can reduce IBS symptoms such as pain and bloating.

Foods that are high in FODMAPs are:

• bread
• apples, pears
• cauliflower
• sweetcorn
• onion
• garlic
• leeks
• cows milk
• sugar substitutes e.g. sorbitol

Foods that are low in FODMAPs are:

• gluten-free bread
• banana
• potato
• rice
• carrot
• swede
• turnip, parsnip
• meat, fish and eggs

The app produced by King’s College London and the NHS can be helpful in identifying foods that are low in FODMAPs.

If your IBS symptoms improve after following the low FODMAP diet, then you can reintroduce each food you excluded, one by one, to see which foods caused the most problems.
Some people find their IBS symptoms improve when they follow a low FODMAP and low insoluble fibre diet.

Fats and Protein

IBS sufferers are generally intolerant of fatty food and often feel a benefit when they eat a low-fat diet.

Protein (with the exception of red meat), on the other hand, tends not to make IBS symptoms worse.

Eggs are generally well tolerated in all IBS sufferers.

Gluten

People with IBS can develop a sensitivity to gluten.

In IBS, gluten doesn’t damage the lining of the gut as it does in coeliac disease.

People with IBS are advised to remove gluten from their diet for a month to see if their symptoms improve.

Lactose

IBS sufferers, who are also lactose intolerant, find their IBS symptoms get worse because lactose is fermented in the gut by bacteria.

Lactose does not damage the lining of the gut in IBS.
Most people find their symptoms improve when they reduce milk products.

But is not normally necessary to completely remove lactose from the diet.

Probiotics

There is evidence that people with IBS have a condition called dysbiosis.
Dysbiosis is the abnormal growth of bacteria in the gut.

Probiotics are supplements that can be taken to increase the number of good bacteria in the gut.

Probiotics can be taken as yoghurt or capsules, are totally harmless and have no side effects.
They commonly contain good bacteria such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilliae.

There are a number of benefits from taking probiotics because they:

• boost the immune system
• reduce inflammation
• stop germs getting into the body
• stop dangerous bacteria growing.

Probiotics work slowly to restore the natural healthy balance of the gut microbiome.
The recommended advice is to take probiotics for at least a month to see if your symptoms improve.
If they do, you should continue taking probiotics for the long term.

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What are the IBS symptoms?

The common symptoms of IBS are:

• pain
• diarrhoea
• constipation
• bloating
• gas
• indigestion
• lose of appetite
• nausea
• heartburn

Pain

Eating often causes pain in IBS sufferers which can be felt in any part of the gut.

Pain is most commonly felt in the abdomen, however, this can vary from person to person.
The most common form of pain is twisting, stabbing or squeezing pain.

The intensity of pain can vary from day to day and sufferers say they even have difficulty standing up because the pain is so bad.

Diarrhoea

Some IBS sufferers experience only diarrhoea, whereas others experience both diarrhoea and constipation.

Some people with diarrhoea type IBS can visit the toilet anywhere between four to twenty times a day.

Sufferers with diarrhoea often need to find a toilet quickly and therefore need to plan their day around access to a toilet.

Some sufferers even find it difficult to leave their home to go to work, go on day’s out, or go for a meal.

Diarrhoea can often be made worse because many sufferers need to go to the toilet after every meal rather than after breakfast with a normal bowel habit.

IBS diarrhoea is mostly due to the rapid movement of digested food through the large intestine rather than the small intestine.

Therefore nutrients are mostly absorbed normally in the small intestine.

Diarrhoea can cause some sufferers to take long periods of time off work which then has a financial impact too.

Constipation

IBS sufferers with constipation may only use the toilet once or twice a week or even perhaps as long as once every few weeks.

Constipation in IBS causes hard, pellet-like stools, that are often hard to expel.
This causes IBS sufferers to strain for long periods of time which can cause haemorrhoids.

Because of gut hypersensitivity, it often feels like the bowels are not completely empty, which increases the unproductive use of the toilet.

Some sufferers do not have a bowel movement for days whereas others may last for weeks.

Constipation can be due to a problem with propulsion through the colon or the defaecation process.

Most people have the urge to use the toilet in the morning after having breakfast and this is called the gastrocolonic response.

People with constipation type IBS are recommended to eat breakfast and have a hot drink so they can to take full advantage from this morning urge.

They should avoid skipping breakfast and ignoring the urge to open their bowels.

Bloating

Bloating is a very common symptom in IBS. For some, the abdomen just feels swollen whereas others suffer from abdominal distension.

Bloating is generally better in the morning and gradually gets worse throughout the day.

Abdominal distension can put pressure on the bladder causing increased urination.

It is believed that distension is caused by a failure of the diaphragm to relax and contract properly, which can result in some sufferers feeling breathless and heartburn.

Gas

IBS sufferers tend to produce more gas than non-sufferers which is mainly due to the hypersensitivity of the gut.
The gas can be very problematic especially if it has an offensive odour and sufferers find it hard to control its release.

Some of the worse foods that produce foul odours are cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, eggs and red meat.

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How does lifestyle affect IBS?

If IBS is not brought under control it can have a miserable effect on a person’s life.

In addition to the symptoms listed above, constant tiredness, backache, nausea, chest pain and muscle aches can be a major problem in IBS.

Unfortunately, a very healthy diet can make IBS worse, especially if lots of fibre, fruit and vegetables are eaten.
That doesn’t mean IBS sufferers should eat an unhealthy diet, but they should be aware that excessive healthy foods can irritate their gut.

Moderate exercise, rather than strenuous exercise, is beneficial to most people with IBS.

Sleep is equally important because lack of sleep has been shown to make IBS symptoms worse.
It is recommended that you should get 8 hours of sleep per night.

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How does stress affect the digestive system?

Everyone knows that stress can have an effect on their gut, from experiencing ‘butterflies’ in their stomach when they feel nervous.

And stress will affect IBS sufferers more because they may have an over-reactive and over-sensitive gut.

Very severe IBS can cause excessive stress and worry, such as where the nearest toilet is.
In extreme cases, some IBS sufferers might not leave their home because of the worry of not being able to find a toilet.

About half of all IBS suffers say their IBS started when they had a stressful period in their life.

IBS may be the source of the stress or alternatively, it can be the largest factor in the cause of IBS.

During a stressful event, the body goes into the ‘fight or flight’ response.
The fight or flight response sets off a chain of events inside the body.

Hormones and chemicals are released which puts the body in a state of high alert.
This leads to blood being diverted from your digestive system to your brain and muscles so you can stay alert and take action.

The flight or fight response has existed for 1000s of years.
The body responds in exactly the same way our ancestors’ bodies responded did.
The same hormones and chemicals are released and your digestive system responds in the same way.

If you’re in a stressful situation, digesting the last meal you ate is not a priority.
The priority is to run away from or attack the threat.

That’s why in very dangerous situations some people vomit or even worse.
The digestive system will expel a meal from the nearest exit if it cannot digest the meal.

Although your body is designed to cope with short term stress, long term stress can have a serious impact on the normal functioning of your digestive system.
If blood is being diverted away from the digestive system on a regular basis then it can have a detrimental effect on the gut.

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The nervous system and digestive system

Your autonomic nervous system unconsciously controls your digestive system.
The part of the autonomic nervous system involved in the regulation of the digestive system and IBS is the gut-brain axis, which is part of the enteric nervous system.

The gut-brain axis is a network of nerves that controls digestion.
It controls gut motility, secretion of fluids and blood flow.
There is evidence that a malfunction in the gut-brain axis may underlie an overactive and oversensitive gut.

Communication along the gut-brain axis can be in both directions:

• from the brain to the gut
• from the gut to the brain

There is evidence that when the gut-brain axis malfunctions it can cause abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhoea.
And when the nerves in the gut become oversensitive they can cause changes in the brain.
Likewise, anxious thoughts and feelings in the brain can cause an overactive gut response.
Overall, a malfunctioning gut-brain axis can cause an imbalance in gut homeostasis, which is when digestive system is working normally.

It is also thought that a malfunctioning gut-brain axis is related to the imbalance in certain neurotransmitters in the gut-brain axis.
Neurotransmitters allow one nerve to communicate with another nerve.
One of the most important neurotransmitters in the digestive system is serotonin.
Up to 95% of the serontonin produced in the body is found in the digestive tract.
Seronoin is a vital neurotransmitter in the gut-brain axis and is thought to play an important role in gut motility and sensitivity.

It is important to recognise that you cannot consciously control your gut-brain axis.
Therefore, you can’t speed up or slow down your digestive system by consciously thinking about it.

The enteric nervous system has two parts.
One part speeds up the digestive system, like an accelerator, and another part slows down the digestive system, like a brake.
The part that speeds process up is called the sympathetic nervous system and the part that slows down processes is called the parasympathetic nervous system

Your fight or flight response is part of the sympathetic nervous system.
The flight or fight response speeds up your body’s processes so you can act as quickly as possible.

Hypnotherapy helps increase the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system which restores the natural balance of the digestive system.

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How can IBS be treated?

Doctors often prescribe anti-spasm medication to relax the muscles of the digestive system which can help relieve cramps.
Doctors also sometimes prescribe laxatives or anti-diarrhoea medication to relieve some of the other symptoms.

And in many cases doctors encourage IBS suffers to make lifestyle changes such as increasing exercise, improving sleep patterns and avoiding certain foods to reduce the frequency of the attacks.

One of the most effective treatments for IBS is gut directed hypnotherapy and many doctors recommend hypnotherapy when patients do not respond to medication.

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Why is hypnosis for IBS an effective treatment?

One of the most surprising facts about hypnotherapy is that it improves all IBS symptoms, including colonic and non-colonic, which is not the case for IBS medication.

It will not come as any surprise given the importance of the gut-brain axis that hypnotherapy is such an effective treatment.

Doctors can recommend gut-directed hypnotherapy and relaxation techniques when someone is not responding to IBS medication.

Most people enjoy hypnotherapy so much they would like hypnosis to continue beyond the treatment plan.

This is why I always teach my clients self-hypnosis so they can continue to enjoy the benefits of gut-directed hypnotherapy treatment.
Self-hypnosis is just like any other skill: the more you practice, the better you get at it and the greater the rewards.

Hypnotherapy has been used for over 30 years at the University of Manchester to treat IBS.
The world-leading IBS expert, Professor Whorwell, has been using gut-directed hypnotherapy with his patients.

Many studies have shown that gut-directed hypnotherapy can help restore the natural balance and calm of the autonomic nervous system and is an effective treatment for IBS.

Hypnotherapy is considered to be a highly effective treatment for stress and anxiety and a large number of studies have shown that hypnosis for IBS is an effective treatment.

Hypnotherapy uses a state of deep relaxation to stimulate your body’s autonomic nervous system brake.
It helps reset and restore the natural balance of your autonomic nervous system.

The muscles of your gut start to relax when you are in a state of deep relaxation.
This allows food to move through the digestive system in a normal way.
The painful cramps and other symptoms begin to decrease when the digestive system starts to work normally again.

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How can gut-directed hypnotherapy help me with IBS?

Gut directed hypnotherapy helps change your responses and behaviour through the use of positive suggestions to help you cope better with the causes of your IBS.
It is important to help you change how you respond to situations that are contributing to your IBS.

Hypnotherapy helps you deal with your stress and anxiety which can either be the cause or an IBS factor.
This is why hypnotherapy is an effective IBS treatment.

So if you would like to find out how hypnotherapy can be an effective IBS treatment for you, and help restore the natural balance of your digestive system, please get in touch to book your free consultation.

Safety Notice

Studies have shown that approximately 85% of people respond positively to gut-directed hypnotherapy however individual results can vary.

Before starting any hypnotherapy treatment you should always speak to your doctor to confirm your IBS.
This information is not a substitute for medical, healthcare, or pharmaceutical advice.
Please consult your doctor before changing, stopping or starting any medical treatment.
This information is correct at the time of publication. The author disclaims, as far as the law allows, any liability arising, directly or indirectly, from the use or misuse of this information.