How can Switch-Up Hypnotherapy help me with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)? / Updates

IBS – irritable bowel syndrome – is a nasty and mysterious gut disorder that affects as many as one in seven Australians. At best it's painful and restricts diet and lifestyle. At worst it's totally debilitating, leaving sufferers essentially crippled, disheartened and often unable to work.

IBS is a common gastrointestinal disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and include bloating, abdominal pain, gas, diarrhoea, constipation, or a combination of both. Despite its prevalence, the causes of IBS remain complex and multifaceted, often leaving individuals feeling frustrated with traditional treatment methods.

At Switch-Up Hypnotherapy, we recognise the challenges that come with managing IBS and offer a holistic, mind-body approach that has shown significant promise in helping clients alleviate symptoms and improve their quality of life. Through hypnotherapy, we aim to address the psychological and emotional components of IBS, providing clients with long-term relief.

What are the signs and symptoms of IBS?

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is the name given to a variable list of symptoms for unexplained digestive system illnesses. These relate to an uncomfortable disturbance of the colon or large intestine. Some of the symptoms are:

- Abdominal pain and discomfort
- Swelling
- Fluid retention
- Cramping and pressure
- Gas and bloating
- Change of bowel habits
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea
- Urgency to go to the toilet
- Fear of soiling your pants.

Causes of IBS symptoms

The underlying causes of IBS are often unknown, although some common factors have been found to trigger attacks in susceptible individuals. Environmental factors such as changes in routine, emotional stress, bacterial infections, viruses, and diet can trigger an attack.

About one in 10 people suffer symptoms severe enough to seek help from their GP.

Common causes of IBS symptoms are:

- Abdominal Infection
- Bacteria or virus
- Inflammation
- Dietary factors
- Food intolerance
- Stress and anxiety
- Medication side effects

The cause of IBS is unknown and studies have revealed that IBS is more common in women than men. Treatment with drugs such as laxatives and antispasmodics don’t usually work too well. Symptoms can include constipation, bloating, diarrhoea but also nausea, lethargy and psychological issues such as anxiety and depression. It's a massive drain on the healthcare system and accounts for huge chunks of gastroenterologists’ and GPs’ time.

Understanding the Causes of IBS

To effectively manage IBS, it is essential to understand the various causes that may contribute to this disorder. While the exact cause remains elusive, researchers believe that a combination of factors plays a role. These causes can broadly be categorised into three main areas:

1. Gut-Brain Axis Dysfunction

The gut-brain axis refers to the bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain. This connection influences digestive function, and any disruption in this communication can lead to symptoms of IBS. For many individuals with IBS, the brain may send faulty signals to the gut, resulting in abnormal gut motility, sensitivity, and pain perception. Stress and anxiety are known to exacerbate this dysfunction, further aggravating IBS symptoms.

2. Psychological Factors

Stress, anxiety, and depression are strongly linked to IBS. In fact, research has shown that a significant proportion of IBS sufferers also experience these psychological conditions. Stress, in particular, can trigger or worsen symptoms by influencing gut motility, increasing intestinal sensitivity, and altering digestive function. This is where hypnotherapy can be particularly effective, as it addresses both the emotional and physiological components of IBS.

3. Dietary Triggers and Food Sensitivities

Certain foods can trigger or exacerbate IBS symptoms. Common culprits include dairy, gluten, fatty foods, and certain types of carbohydrates known as FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols). While dietary modifications can help manage symptoms, they may not fully address the underlying causes of IBS, particularly when psychological factors are at play.

How Hypnotherapy Can Help with IBS

Yet hypnotherapy, directed specifically at the gut, has been discovered to be a major part of the solution. Hypnotherapy is used to help manage and alleviate symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It involves using guided relaxation, focused attention, and suggestion to induce a state of heightened concentration and suggestibility.

Hypnotherapy is a powerful tool for addressing IBS because it works by calming the mind and improving the gut-brain connection. It provides a deep level of relaxation that allows the mind to process and release stressors that may be contributing to IBS symptoms. At Switch-Up Hypnotherapy, we utilise various techniques to help clients achieve relief, often in conjunction with other lifestyle changes such as dietary modifications and stress management.

Here’s how hypnotherapy can make a difference:

1. Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy

Gut-directed hypnotherapy is a specific type of hypnotherapy that focuses on the connection between the mind and the digestive system. Through guided imagery and relaxation techniques, clients are encouraged to visualise the relaxation of their gut muscles, improving motility and reducing sensitivity. Over time, these mental exercises help to rewire the gut-brain connection, reducing the frequency and intensity of IBS symptoms.

Studies have shown that gut-directed hypnotherapy can be highly effective, with some research indicating that 70-80% of IBS patients experience significant symptom relief after treatment. This is because hypnotherapy helps to calm the nervous system and reduce the visceral hypersensitivity that is often present in IBS sufferers.

2. Stress Reduction and Relaxation Techniques

Since stress is a major trigger for IBS, learning how to manage stress more effectively can dramatically reduce symptoms. Hypnotherapy sessions at Switch-Up Hypnotherapy often incorporate relaxation techniques designed to lower stress levels. By putting the body into a deep state of relaxation, hypnotherapy reduces the production of stress hormones, which can help regulate gut function.

Over time, clients learn to enter this relaxed state on their own, empowering them to manage their IBS symptoms more effectively in everyday life. This shift in mindset also helps reduce the fear and anxiety that often accompany flare-ups, breaking the vicious cycle of stress-induced symptoms.

3. Cognitive Restructuring

Negative thought patterns and emotions related to IBS can exacerbate symptoms, leading to a cycle of fear and avoidance. Hypnotherapy can help clients identify and change these thought patterns through cognitive restructuring. This involves challenging unhelpful beliefs and replacing them with more positive and constructive thoughts.

For example, many IBS sufferers live in fear of social situations, worrying about potential flare-ups. Through hypnotherapy, clients can reframe these fears, learning to approach situations with confidence rather than anxiety. This not only improves emotional well-being but can also reduce the frequency and severity of symptoms.

4. Enhancing Self-Efficacy

One of the most powerful benefits of hypnotherapy is that it enhances self-efficacy, or the belief in one’s ability to manage and control IBS symptoms. Many IBS sufferers feel powerless over their condition, which can lead to feelings of frustration, helplessness, and despair. Hypnotherapy empowers clients by giving them tools to manage their symptoms more effectively.

At Switch-Up Hypnotherapy, we teach clients techniques that they can use on their own, such as self-hypnosis and relaxation exercises. These techniques can be practised at home to provide relief during flare-ups, giving clients greater control over their symptoms and enhancing their overall quality of life.

A major clinical study into the effects of gut-directed hypnotherapy on IBS has been completed by Monash University, with results so positive that even the researchers were surprised. Hypnotherapy, directed specifically at the gut, reduced gut symptoms, such as abdominal pain, bloating and nausea by up to 72%.

The hypnotherapy study – led by Dr Simone Peters – wanted to consolidate findings by UK researchers suggesting the therapy was effective. Dr Peters is part of Monash University and the Alfred Hospital’s Department of Gastroenterology. She also has one of Melbourne’s two hypnotherapy/IBS private clinics and is a psychophysiologist by training.

The participants (78 people) were divided into groups using hypnotherapy alone, diet alone and a combination. The results astounded her.

“It was hugely surprising, “she said. “We found hypnotherapy was incredibly beneficial.” The results showed hypnotherapy was as beneficial as the low FODMAP diet. Seventy per cent of those surveyed responded positively to the hypnotherapy, and there was a significant improvement in their overall and individual gut symptoms ( abdominal pain, bloating, wind, satisfaction with stool consistency, nausea) by the end of the six-week study. This improvement was also maintained six-months post-treatment, suggesting that the response was not purely a placebo.

People doing only the hypnotherapy part of the study hadn't excluded anything from their diets. “That surprised and interested us,” Dr Peters said. “We would have expected the results to have not been as nice as the dietary arm. We also found the people who did the combination therapy didn’t do any better than those who did either one therapy on their own.”

The study also found that hypnotherapy was effective psychologically, too – patients were less anxious and less depressed after using it. The participants, though, were not particularly anxious or depressed individuals. This suggests that hypnotherapy shouldn't be saved for people with psychological co-morbidities. The dietary study showed no change in psychological symptoms or distress.

“There is a brain-gut axis,” says Dr Iacovou. “There is strong communication between the two. The hypnotherapy is getting the mind in a relaxed state and getting you to think about how you're feeling and how your gut is feeling so that when you have an IBS episode you can use it as a tool.”

With IBS, the brain misfires, interpreting normal gut sensations as pain. But through the power of hypnotic suggestion and the brain-gut connection, gut-directed hypnotherapy acts on the central nervous system to reduce the sensitivity of nerves in the gut.

Studies show that gut-directed hypnotherapy works by regulating the signals that move along the largest cranial nerve in your body: the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve acts as a superhighway for information running along your gut-brain axis. It's because of this brain-gut connection that we can experience emotions in our gut (like feeling ‘butterflies' when we're excited) or sense what's happening in the gut in our brains (like knowing when we're full after eating).

A study published in July 2020 in the Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology compared patients with IBS who received either standard care or a multidisciplinary approach that included gut-directed hypnotherapy.

Researchers found that 83 percent of the patients in the multidisciplinary group had symptom relief, compared with 63 percent of the standard care group. Patients in the multidisciplinary group were also far more likely to have a significant improvement in symptoms and quality of life than the group that received standard care from a gastroenterologist only.

The growing body of evidence showing just how effective gut-directed hypnotherapy is in relieving IBS symptoms and improving gut function spurred the American College of Gastroenterologists to recommend its practice in its 2021 clinical guidelines. And a review published in January 2022 in Gastroenterology noted that hypnotherapy is not only effective in helping IBS, but it's flexible — it can be done individually or in a group setting, and it can be done in person, virtually, or via a recording.

References:

https://lens.monash.edu/@medicine-health/2019/06/24/1351605/how-hypnotherapy-is-helping-people-suffering-from-irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs

https://www.monashfodmap.com/blog/how-effective-is-gut-directed/

https://www.everydayhealth.com/ibs/can-hypnotherapy-help-cure-irritable-bowel-syndrome/

https://www.mindsethealth.com/matter/hypnotherapy-for-ibs-how-to-get-started

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1773844/

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langas/article/PIIS2468-1253(20)30215-6/abstract

With IBS, the brain misfires, interpreting normal gut sensations as pain. But through the power of hypnotic suggestion and the brain-gut connection, gut-directed hypnotherapy acts on the central nervous system to reduce the sensitivity of nerves in the gu

Techniques Used in Hypnotherapy for IBS Relief

At Switch-Up Hypnotherapy, we use a combination of proven techniques tailored to each client’s specific needs. These techniques include:

1. Guided Imagery

Guided imagery involves using mental visualisation to promote relaxation and healing. Clients are guided through a series of calming images and scenarios that promote relaxation of the gut muscles, reduce inflammation, and improve digestive function. This technique is particularly effective for reducing pain and discomfort associated with IBS.

2. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

Progressive Muscle Relaxation involves tensing and relaxing different muscle groups throughout the body, helping to relieve physical tension and reduce stress. By incorporating PMR into hypnotherapy sessions, clients can learn to release tension in the abdominal muscles, which may help alleviate cramping and discomfort during IBS flare-ups.

3. Autogenic Training

Autogenic training is a technique that involves repeating self-statements that promote relaxation and focus on bodily sensations. This technique helps regulate the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for controlling involuntary functions like digestion. By practising autogenic training, clients can train their bodies to respond more calmly to stressors, reducing the severity of IBS symptoms.

4. Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on the present moment and accepting sensations and feelings without judgement. It helps clients become more aware of their body’s responses to stress and discomfort, allowing them to manage symptoms more effectively. When incorporated into hypnotherapy, mindfulness can enhance the overall relaxation experience and promote long-term symptom relief.

How does an IBS Hypnotherapy Session Work?

In an IBS hypnotherapy session, you will be taken through relaxation exercises and brought into a focused state of attention. This simply means that you can focus on therapeutic suggestions that are being given to you while ignoring outside concerns. In this focused and relaxed state of attention, your brain becomes open to suggestions on how to better communicate with your gut, improve your gut motility and reduce uncomfortable sensations.

Since hypnotherapy is a relaxing exercise that stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system (responsible for rest and relaxation), it can effectively interrupt the cycle of stress-related IBS symptoms.

Here's how hypnotherapy can be applied to treat IBS:

Relaxation and Stress Reduction: Hypnotherapy aims to induce a state of deep relaxation, which can help reduce stress and anxiety. Stress is known to be a trigger for IBS symptoms, so by promoting relaxation, hypnotherapy may contribute to symptom relief.
Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy: In the context of IBS, hypnotherapy often involves gut-directed techniques. I may guide you to focus your attention on the sensations in your digestive system. This process aims to influence and normalise the gut's functioning, addressing issues such as hypersensitivity and abnormal contractions. You might be asked to imagine your gut as a beautiful, perfectly slimy set of passages, where all the digesting food slips through as if smoothly lubricated. Or you might be asked to think of your gut system as a free-flowing river, no obstacles, no blockages, everything working as it should. It might include metaphors like swallowing down medicine and imagining that this medicine provides healing and protection to the gastrointestinal tract. It differs from other psychological therapies given they’re aimed at the conscious mind.
Addressing Psychological Factors: IBS is often associated with psychological factors such as anxiety and emotional distress. Hypnotherapy can help individuals explore and manage these psychological aspects, potentially leading to a reduction in IBS symptoms.
Reframing Perceptions: Hypnotherapy can help you reframe your perceptions and responses to gut sensations. By changing the way the brain processes and interprets signals from your digestive system, you may experience a reduction in the severity and frequency of IBS symptoms.
Creating Coping Strategies: Hypnotherapy can assist in developing coping strategies for dealing with IBS symptoms. This may include techniques for managing stress, modifying dietary habits, and adopting a more positive mindset.

How does hypnotherapy compare to other IBS management tools?

When it comes to managing symptoms of IBS, gut-directed hypnotherapy stands out as an effective alternative. Unlike medication-based approaches, gut-directed hypnotherapy offers a non-invasive and drug-free approach. It focuses on harnessing the power of the mind to reduce IBS symptoms.

Studies have shown that hypnotherapy can provide long-lasting results by addressing the underlying psychological factors contributing to IBS. By reducing stress and anxiety, and enhancing gut-brain communication, this approach helps restore balance in the digestive system.

Furthermore, gut-directed hypnotherapy offers a holistic approach, tackling both the physical and psychological aspects of IBS. With its proven efficacy and minimal risks, hypnotherapy emerges as a compelling option for those seeking a comprehensive and sustainable way to manage their IBS symptoms.

DIY Tips for Managing IBS Symptoms

While hypnotherapy is an effective treatment for IBS, there are also several self-help strategies that you can implement at home to complement your sessions and alleviate symptoms. Here are some DIY tips for managing IBS:

1. Practice Deep Breathing

Deep breathing exercises can help reduce stress and promote relaxation, which is essential for managing IBS symptoms. Try practising deep breathing for 10-15 minutes each day, focusing on slow, diaphragmatic breaths. This can help calm the nervous system and reduce the intensity of IBS flare-ups.

2. Keep a Food Diary

Since certain foods can trigger IBS symptoms, keeping a food diary can help you identify patterns and make informed dietary choices. Write down everything you eat and note any symptoms you experience afterward. Over time, you’ll be able to identify specific foods that trigger your symptoms and eliminate them from your diet.

3. Incorporate Gentle Exercise

Exercise is a great way to relieve stress and improve digestive function. Gentle activities like yoga, walking, and stretching can help regulate bowel movements and reduce bloating. Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity each day to keep your digestive system functioning optimally.

4. Stay Hydrated

Drinking enough water is essential for maintaining digestive health, particularly if you experience constipation as part of your IBS. Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day to keep your system hydrated and promote regular bowel movements.

5. Use Heat Therapy

Applying a heating pad to your abdomen can help relieve cramps and discomfort associated with IBS. The heat helps relax the muscles in your gut, reducing pain and promoting better digestion. You can use this method during flare-ups for quick relief.

It's important to note that while hypnotherapy can be beneficial for most individuals with IBS, it may not work for everyone. Additionally, it is not a substitute for medical treatment. Before starting any alternative therapy, you should consult with your healthcare provider to ensure that it is appropriate for your specific situation.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome can be a challenging condition to live with, but you don’t have to suffer in silence. At Switch-Up Hypnotherapy, we offer a holistic approach to managing IBS that addresses both the physical and psychological aspects of the condition. Through gut-directed hypnotherapy, stress reduction techniques, and cognitive restructuring, we help clients gain long-lasting relief and improve their quality of life.

If you’re ready to take control of your IBS symptoms and find a path to relief, Switch-Up Hypnotherapy is here to guide you every step of the way. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you reclaim your well-being.