Irritable Bowel Syndrome Relief

A Clinical review from researchers at King’s College Hospital, London.
Antidepressants and psychological treatments such as hypnotherapy have the potential to help patients with severe irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The Medical management of patients with irritable bowel syndrome is often unsatisfactory.
IBS is very common, but conventional ‘physical’ treatments often do not work very well, and patients can feel that their symptoms are being ignored, downplayed or misunderstood.
Patients with IBS are more likely to suffer from depression and have ‘abnormal’ behavior patterns including anxiety and somatisation (conversion of an emotional, mental, or psychosocial problem to a physical complaint). This has led to the idea that IBS has a psychological as well as a biological basis and a growing body of evidence supports the use of antidepressants for IBS, write the authors.

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Clinical Studies of IBS and Stress

Managing IBS
The condition is not a disease but a group of symptoms, and this is why it is referred to as a syndrome. The symptoms tend to be physical in nature although psychological methods of treatment should not be ruled out as they have shown to be helpful and effective.
· Healthy lifestyle - moderate exercise and good eating habits, a sufferer of irritable bowel syndrome can be well on the way to a less spastic colon and a more enjoyable and pain free life.
· Healthy eating  can lead to a better life - a diet low on fat and processed sugar and high on fiber from fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, like beans and peanuts.

· Hypnotherapy does not cure IBS, but it has been proven successful in dramatically reducing symptoms, in some cases by as much as 80%. It is even acknowledged by the British Medical Association as being the most effective way to deal with the symptoms of IBS.

The treatment program lasts for up to six sessions over a period of six weeks. In between sessions you are given a CD to listen to which reinforces the hypnotic suggestions and help with relaxation.