Hypnotherapy Helps People with IBS

EDINBURGH, Scotland, May 30 (UPI) -- British researchers found patients with irritable bowel syndrome who had hypnotherapy sessions reported fewer symptoms and improved quality of life.

Dr. Graeme D. Smith of the University of Edinburgh studied 75 patients with IBS before and after they took part in four to five hypnotherapy treatment sessions over three months.

Smith discovered that before the sessions, women were most concerned with quality-of-life issues such as diet and energy and that men had the highest levels of anxiety and depression and worried about their physical role.

The 20 men and 55 women who took part in the study reported that hypnotherapy brought about significant improvements -- a 30-percent improvement in their emotional quality of life and a 25-percent improvement in energy levels.

Mental health improved by 21 percent, sleep by 18 percent, physical health by 16 percent, diet by 14 percent, their social role had improved by 20 percent and their physical role by 18 percent.

The study is published in the June issue of Journal of Clinical Nursing.