Medication

The type of medication recommended by your doctor will depend on your particular symptoms. When taking medication, the effect is often just temporary and there may be side effects which make your symptoms worse than they were in the first place.

Psychotherapy and/or anti-depressants might work for you, especially if your symptoms are severe and you are depressed by them. However, taking anti-depressants could be a dangerous way of covering up the symptoms instead of dealing with them. You may want to look at the other treatments before psychotherapy or anti-depressants.

Hypnotherapy is another treatment that might work for you. Research shows that it’s working well for some people.

Natural Treatments

Natural Treatments are usually longer lasting, although they take a little longer to work initially. Some of the natural treatments can relieve your symptoms for years, and maybe for the rest of your life.

Nutrition – Changing Your Diet

One of the most recommended treatments is to work out which food is irritating your bowel the most, and to stop eating that food. You may not have to stop eating specific foods forever. Once you have eliminated all those that bring on your symptoms, you can gradually introduce a little of each one ( one at a time ) to see if you react to it. This kind of treatment can take months or even years to get used to, and it’s difficult when going on holidays or just going out to dinner.

A Nutrition Supplement

Another way to eliminate the symptoms of IBS without having to stop eating certain foods, is to take a high quality liquid Nutrition Supplement. The extra vitamins and minerals can settle your tummy, and if mangosteen fruit is included in the supplement, this can reduce inflammation, diarrhea and pain. A supplement is a good solution if you want to continue eating all different types of food, and you want some relief from your symptoms within a shorter period of time.

Herbs

Other treatments include taking herbs such as peppermint that relaxes smooth muscles in your intestines. Before taking herbs check with your doctor in case they may interact or interfere with any other medications you may be taking.

Probiotics

Probiotics may assist you also. These are “good” bacteria that normally live in your intestines and can be found in certain foods such as yoghurt and nutritional supplements. Studies on people taking Probiotics for IBS have shown that they can decrease problems caused by IBS.

Chiropractic Adjustments

Chiropractic adjustments may assist you. There is evidence to support that certain cases of IBS result from the malfunction of nerves that control the gastrointestinal system and/or the immune system. So, the adjustments will assist in healing the nerves, and therefore remove the symptoms of IBS.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture may be the treatment for you. It is being used successfully by some people to relax the muscle spasms and improve bowel function.

Choose a Treatment for you

So, the next step for you is to choose an IBS Treatment that you will assist you. I know that when you do find one, your life will be so much more fun.

Julieanne is now completely free from those embarrassing and uncomfortable symptoms of IBS. If you know someone who would like to be free of those symptoms also, please direct him or her to the following web page for the IBS Treatment she takes.

IBS mainly results from the dysfunction of the spleen and stomach, whose purpose is to digest food then transport the food essence to other parts of the body. Chinese herbal medicine usually treats IBS very effectively. However, each individual patient is treated with a different prescription according to the main treatment principles.
Cold-dampness is usually a result of dysfunction of the spleen and stomach. The condition is manifested by frequent bowel movements with loose, watery stools, wind in the stomach, bloated abdomen, poor appetite and white greasy tongue coating.

Damp-heat usually manifests itself with frequent bowel movements with a burning sensation, abdominal pain and red tongue with a yellowish coating.

Stagnation of Liver Qi: The liver will not function correctly if one is depressed or stressed, or when the spleen and stomach can not function well. This condition is often called stagnation of the Liver Qi. It is characterised by general tightness in the chest in addition to frequent bowel movement.

Deficiency of the spleen and stomach is marked by frequent bowel movement with loose stools, tiredness, nausea and pale tongue with white coating.

Before starting treatment, it’s best to consult with a qualified Chinese medicine specialist. Da Peng Zhang is a doctor of Chinese medicine based at Dr&Herbs in the Manchester Arndale

Article Source: Manchester News

“While the precise prevalence and incidence depends on the criteria used, all studies agree that it is a common disorder, affecting a substantial proportion of individuals in the general population, and presenting frequently to general practitioners and to specialists,” write Robin Spiller, MD, from the University Hospital in Nottingham, United Kingdom, and colleagues.

“IBS is troublesome, with a significant negative impact on quality of life and social functioning in many patients, but is not known to be associated with the development of serious disease or with excess mortality. IBS generates significant healthcare costs both direct, due to IBS symptoms and associated disorders as well as indirect, due to time off work.”

In most countries, IBS affects 5% to 11% of the population, with prevalence peaking from age 20 to 45 years with a female predominance (female:male ratio approximately 2:1). The disorder may account for approximately 3% of all consultations referred from primary care.

The current recommendations were issued at the request of the Chairman of the Clinical Services Committee of The British Society of Gastroenterology to provide guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of adult patients with IBS. Members of the committee were assigned specific areas to review. Literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases and search of extensive personal reference databases focused on high-quality studies that used established methodology and substantial patient numbers with clearly defined entry criteria. Criteria for inclusion of treatment trials were randomization and placebo control.

The predominant bowel habit (diarrhea or constipation) is a useful classification scheme. When diarrhea is a prominent feature, few investigations are needed, although alarm features may warrant further investigations.

Careful attention to history is of vital importance to the diagnosis. Abdominal pain or discomfort is typically relieved by defecation and associated with change in stool form (usually looser) and change in stool frequency.

Associated features that may be helpful in making the diagnosis include frequent consultation for medically unexplained symptoms, somatization, and past history of anxiety or depression. Psychological assessment to evaluate current anxiety and depressive symptoms is also important.

The presence of alarm symptoms, though nonspecific, should mandate further investigations. These include age older than 50 years, symptom duration less than 6 months, weight loss, nocturnal symptoms, family history of colon cancer, rectal bleeding, anemia, and recent antibiotic usage.

When these alarm symptoms are present, further investigations may be useful in primary care settings. Before these are undertaken, however, patients should be told that IBS is the most likely diagnosis and that these tests are designed to rule out celiac and inflammatory bowel disease. Useful tests may include full blood count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, as well as testing for endomysial antibodies.

Many patients fear that their symptoms may reflect serious disease. These fears should be elicited and specifically addressed in an adequate consultation including exploration of patient anxieties and concerns.

Because of accompanying adverse psychological features and somatization, IBS is often best managed by evaluating the patients’ concerns and explaining symptoms in simple terms the patient can understand. Giving the patient a positive diagnosis and reassuring them of the benign nature of IBS without denying the significance of their symptoms tends to improve outcomes. Treatment of associated anxiety and depression often improves bowel and other symptoms.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a heterogeneous condition with a wide spectrum of treatments, each benefiting a small proportion of patients. Dietary management should begin with a thorough dietary history and moderation of excessive consumption of any 1 component. If intake of lactose, wheat, and/or insoluble fiber appears to be above average for the population, trial exclusion of these foods may be helpful.

Psychological therapies should be first-line treatment when anxiety, panic attacks, and depression are prominent features. Based on evidence from randomized placebo-controlled trials, cognitive behavioral therapy and psychodynamic interpersonal therapy improve coping, and hypnotherapy benefits global symptoms in otherwise refractory patients. Relaxation therapy may also be beneficial.

In terms of drug therapies, antispasmodic drugs are safe, but offer only a small improvement relative to placebo. Soluble fiber supplements may benefit those with constipation, whereas bran and other insoluble fiber may aggravate symptoms.

Loperamide is helpful for symptoms of urgency and frequency but may exacerbate abdominal pain and discomfort. Antispasmodic and tricyclic antidepressant drugs improve pain, whereas ispaghula improves pain and bowel habit.

Although 5HT₃ antagonists improve global symptoms, diarrhea, and pain, they may rarely cause unexplained colitis. 5HT₄ Agonists improve global symptoms, constipation, and bloating, whereas selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors improve global symptoms.

“Patients [with IBS] comprise such a large proportion of gastroenterology outpatients that their streamlined and effective management would impact favourably on any gastroenterology department’s overall performance and hence improve the management of all GI [gastrointestinal] diseases,” the authors write. “Better ways of identifying which patients will respond to specific treatments are urgently needed.”

Warning signs indicating that the primary care clinician should refer the patient with suspected IBS to a specialist are as follows:

• Rectal bleeding requires rectal examination and usually referral for a flexible sigmoidoscopic examination
• Presence of several alarm features
• Uncertainty concerning the diagnosis
• Failure to respond to initial management strategies
• Disabling health-related anxiety
• Long-standing symptoms with impaired quality of life

The authors have disclosed various financial relationships with Novartis, Mundi Pharma, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilley & Co, Solvay, Clasado, AstraZeneca, Tillots Pharma, Ferring, Rotta Research, Proctor & Gamble, and/or Astellas.

Gut. Published online May 8, 2007.

Clinical Context

IBS is a chronic, relapsing gastrointestinal syndrome, with key features of abdominal pain, bloating, and changes in bowel movements. IBS has a high prevalence in the general population and is seen commonly in clinical practice both by general practitioners and by specialists.

Although IBS is not known to lead to serious disease or excess mortality, it has a significant negative impact on quality of life and social functioning and generates significant direct and indirect healthcare costs. The Chairman of the Clinical Services Committee of The British Society of Gastroenterology convened an expert panel to provide guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of adult patients with IBS.

Study Highlights

• When diarrhea is a prominent feature of IBS, few investigations are needed unless alarm features are present.
• Diagnosis is made by history of abdominal pain or discomfort typically relieved by defecation and associated with change in stool form (usually looser) and in stool frequency.
• Associated features that may aid in diagnosis include frequent consultation for medically unexplained symptoms, somatization, and past history of anxiety or depression. Psychological assessment should evaluate current anxiety and depressive symptoms.
• Alarm features mandating further investigations include age older than 50 years, symptom duration less than 6 months, weight loss, nocturnal symptoms, family history of colon cancer, rectal bleeding, anemia, and recent antibiotic usage.
• Warning signs indicating that the primary care clinician should refer the patient with suspected IBS to a specialist include rectal bleeding (warrants referral for flexible sigmoidoscopy), presence of several alarm features, uncertainty concerning the diagnosis, failure to respond to initial management strategies, disabling health-related anxiety, and longstanding symptoms with impaired quality of life.
• Before additional testing (eg, for full blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and endomysial antibodies), patients should be told that IBS is the most likely diagnosis. Patients’ fears that their symptoms may reflect serious disease should be elicited and specifically addressed. Without denying the significance of their symptoms, giving the patient a positive diagnosis and reassuring them that IBS has a benign course tends to improve outcomes.
• Treatment of associated anxiety and depression often improves bowel and other symptoms.
• IBS is a heterogeneous condition with a wide spectrum of treatments including dietary modifications and psychological and pharmacologic therapies. Each of these therapeutic approaches benefits a small proportion of patients.
• Dietary management should begin with moderation of excessive consumption of any 1 component, especially lactose, wheat, and/or insoluble fiber.
• When anxiety, panic attacks, and depression are key symptoms, psychological therapies should be first-line treatment, including cognitive behavioral therapy and psychodynamic interpersonal therapy to improve coping, hypnotherapy to reduce global symptoms in otherwise refractory patients, and relaxation therapy.
• Antispasmodic drugs are safe but only slightly more effective than placebo. Soluble fiber supplements may improve constipation, but bran and other insoluble fiber may aggravate symptoms.
• Loperamide may reduce urgency and frequency but increase abdominal pain and discomfort. Antispasmodic and tricyclic antidepressant drugs improve pain, and ispaghula improves pain and bowel habit.
• 5HT₃ Antagonists improve global symptoms, diarrhea, and pain but may rarely cause unexplained colitis. 5HT₄ Agonists improve global symptoms, constipation, and bloating, while selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors improve global symptoms.

Pearls for Practice

• The primary care clinician should refer the patient with suspected IBS to a specialist for rectal bleeding (for flexible sigmoidoscopy), presence of several alarm features, uncertainty concerning the diagnosis, failure to respond to initial management strategies, disabling health-related anxiety, and longstanding symptoms with impaired quality of life.
• Treatments of IBS may be dietary (moderation of lactose, wheat, and/or insoluble fiber), psychological (first-line therapy when psychiatric symptoms present), or pharmacologic (may be effective but aggravate some symptoms), each benefiting a small proportion of patients.

Article Source: Medscape

Digestive Advantage irritable bowel syndrome is a once daily medical food product that is intended for use by irritable bowel syndrome sufferers. It is not a cure for irritable bowel syndrome nor is it intended to replace any medications that were prescribed by a physician.

The manufacturers claim their patent pending Ganeden Lactobacillus cultures contain what they call “healthy bacteria” is supposed to work within your intestinal ecosystem.

I have yet to try this new IBS product but my hopes are low since everything I’ve tried over the counter has failed to work. If any of you have already tried this product please comment below as I’m interested to hear your experiences with it.

You can purchase this product directly on Amazon.com or visit your local grocery store as they will probably have stock available as well.

In 2002, the Novartis drug Zelnorm became the first and only prescription medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the short-term treatment of women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) whose primary bowel symptom is constipation.

On March 30 2007, Novartis announced that it is complying with an FDA request to suspend marketing of Zelnorm. It’s

According to their web site, “A recent analysis of clinical trial data identified a small imbalance that was statistically significant in the number of cardiovascular ischemic events in patients taking Zelnorm. These events included heart attack, stroke and unstable angina. They occurred primarily in patients who had pre-existing cardiovascular disease and/or cardiovascular risk factors. There is no demonstrated causal relationship between Zelnorm and these events.”

Bottom line: Stop taking Zelnorm immediately and contact your doctor for further instructions. When the FDA pulls something off the shelves, it’s obviously very dangerous to take.

For more information visit medicinenet.com

The National Mental Health Association offers the following tips for reducing or controlling stress:

Be Realistic – Don’t take on everything; learn to say no. Set realistic goals for yourself. If you are feeling overwhelmed, try eliminating an activity that is not absolutely necessary. Ask yourself, “What really needs to be done? Is the deadline realistic?” No one is perfect, so do not expect perfection from yourself or others. And ask for help if you need it.

Meditate – It only takes about 10–20 minutes to get a benefit from meditating. These few moments of quiet reflection may bring relief from stress as well as increase your tolerance to it. And it is simple to do: sit quietly, listen to peaceful music, relax, and try and think of pleasant things or think of nothing.

Visualize - Take a moment to picture how you can manage a stressful situation more calmly and successfully. This can work with just about anything, whether it is an important presentation at work or moving to a new place or taking an exam. A visual rehearsal can boost self-confidence and help you have a more positive attitude toward a difficult task.

Take one thing at a time – When you start to feel overwhelmed, try taking one task at a time. Make a list of things you need to do. Put the most urgent task at the top. Once you have accomplished it, cross it off and move on to the next one. The positive feeling of crossing things off can help keep you motivated.

Exercise – Regular exercise is a great way to reduce stress, and it benefits the body as well as the mind. Just 20–30 minutes of physical activity a day can do the trick.

Get involved in hobbies – Take a break from the stressors of life and do something you really enjoy. Try gardening, painting, or reading. Schedule time to indulge your interests.

Practice a healthful lifestyle – Eating healthfully will make a difference. Avoiding things like smoking, excessive alcohol, and caffeine will help as well. Make sure you get adequate rest and exercise, and that you balance work and play.

Share your feelings – Talking about things can help you feel better. A conversation with someone can help you relax. And listening to someone else can take the focus off of yourself—something we all need to do every now and then. Stay in touch with your family and friends; don’t try to cope alone.

Give in occasionally – You don’t always have to be right. Be flexible. Be willing to compromise. If you do, others may meet you halfway. If you know you are right, stand your ground. But be calm and rational. And listen and make allowances for other’s opinions.

Go easy with criticism – When you expect too much from yourself or others, you may end up feeling frustrated, let down, and disappointed. Remember that each person is unique and everyone, including yourself, has shortcomings. But each person also has many beautiful qualities to share with the world.

Why Pain Happens
The abdominal pain experienced by people with IBS may be a result of intestinal contractions. The muscles in the colon contract to move stool along and out of the body.In a person with IBS, these muscles may be contracting irregularly and intermittently along the length of the colon. This may cause symptoms of abdominal pain, bloating, and gas. Pain is most common after a meal and may last for several hours.
Finding the Source of Pain
Keeping a food diary can help in determining if certain foods are contributing to the symptom of abdominal pain. Recording everything eaten and including such details as where, when, and with who meals are taken can help find “triggers” for abdominal pain. Bringing the food diary to office visits with a physician or nutritionist for their analysis and advice can also be beneficial.
Treating Pain
Antispasmodics. Antispasmodics (such as dicyclomine [Bentyl], hyoscyamine [Levsin], and belladonna/phenobarbital [Donnatal]) are a class of drugs that are often prescribed to treat IBS symptoms. These drugs can relax the muscles of the stomach and intestines, and provide relief from abdominal pain. To be effective, antispasmodics are typically taken 30 to 60 minutes before a meal. However, they can also cause side effects such as blurred vision, constipation, decreased sweating, dizziness, headache, nausea, and urinary problems.Peppermint oil. A natural antispasmodic, peppermint can also help reduce spasms in the colon. Peppermint oil can be taken in either capsules or tea. While the capsules are more effective, and have even been approved for use with people with IBS in Germany, they can cause anal irritation. Additionally, peppermint also relaxes the muscles in the esophagus and can contribute to heartburn caused by acid reflux.

Antidepressants. Tricyclic antidepressants (such as amitriptyline [Elavil], nortriptyline [Aventyl], imipramine [Tofranil]) are prescribed to people with IBS in order to treat abdominal pain. However, these agents are typically prescribed in much lower doses than they would be for treating depression. Antidepressants seem to be more helpful when taken at night for people with diarrhea predominant IBS (D-IBS). It may take several weeks of treatment with an antidepressant before it has an effect on abdominal pain.

Heating pad. A simple and inexpensive way of treating abdominal pain is with a home heating pad. Heat can help soothe cramping muscles and provide a source of comfort. Some tips to remember are:

• Never use a sports cream product (such as Icy Hot or Ben-Gay) with a heating pad as it can cause severe burns.
• Don’t fall asleep with the heating pad still on.
• Never use a heating pad on bare skin.

Author: Amber J. Tresca

1.   In the several days before the trip, consistently follow the best schedule of meals and medications for your condition. Don’t try new foods or unfamiliar restaurants.

2.   Contact local tourist boards or an auto club to find restrooms on your route. If you schedule far enough ahead of time, some tourist agencies will send you maps and information in the mail (may times for free).

3.   If there are no rest stops on the highway, plan your route on surface streets where you are more likely to find a fast food restaurant or grocery store that has a restroom.

4.   If your destination is in an unfamiliar city, obtain a good map and make a note of areas that may have public restrooms: tourist info centers, shopping malls, hotels, and restaurants.

5.   Make sure you have enough medication for the duration you’re traveling, and add some extra–just in case.

6.   Many public restrooms aren’t clean or well-stocked. Carry a little travel pack containing extra undergarments and trial sizes of toilet seat covers, wet wipes, antibacterial hand wash, extra toilet paper and anything else you might need. If you need to make a dash, you can grab your little bag of necesseties and be off!

7.   Pack a book, sewing project, crossword puzzle or video game–anything that will keep your mind occupied while you’re a passenger in the car.

8.   If you think it will help you, pack a portable toilet. It may not be useful in urban areas, but when traveling off the beaten path it could be very helpful.

9.   When possible, arrange your meal schedule around your trip. If you know that you have to use the toilet about an hour after a meal, be sure to leave enough time between your last meal and the start of the trip for that bathroom break.

10.   Ensure that your traveling companions know that when you say you need to stop and find a restroom you mean NOW. They can also help you scout for restrooms and help explain if you need to jump to the front of the line.

Tips:

1. Does driving help keep your mind off how far the next bathroom is? Then maybe you should drive.
2. Gas stations almost never have toilets anymore. Some public places that are more likely to have easily accessible public restrooms are fast food chains (including coffee shops), diners, supermarkets, department stores, discount stores, large bookshops, craft stores and bed and bath stores.
3. Places unlikely to have an easily accesible restroom include electronics or furniture stores, drugstores, toystores, restaurants (other than diners), and small shops or boutiques.
4. If the worst happens–ask politely and explain that you have a serious medical condition.

What You Need:

• Maps of the areas you’re traveling
• Wet wipes, tissues or toilet paper
• Hand sanitizer
• More than enough medications or medical supplies
• Portable toilet (optional)
• Sympathetic traveling companion
• Hobby or book to keep you occupied

Author: Amber J. Tresca

That’s the case for the 15 percent of Americans – about 25 million people – who have irritable bowel syndrome. Although television commercials and magazine advertisements promise easy relief for a chronically misbehaving gut, many people with the condition know better. The constipation, bloating, diarrhea and gas make their lives miserable, limiting some to short excursions when they leave home at all.Although the pharmaceutical industry is eagerly pursuing new drug treatments for irritable bowel syndrome, these potentially more effective medications are several years away. Now researchers say the best hope may be the most basic of treatments: lifestyle changes.

Experts meeting recently in Los Angeles for Digestive Disease Week, the world’s largest gathering of gastrointestinal health professionals, reported that behavior modification and dietary alterations can significantly ease symptoms of the still little-understood condition.

For example, even a brief, self-help course of cognitive behavior therapy – in which people identify their symptoms’ triggers and learn techniques, such as relaxation and thought processes, that can alter the response – significantly helped most patients in one study presented at the meeting. Another study found that 12 sessions of hypnotherapy reduced symptoms in many patients for at least one year.

The findings support recent theories that irritable bowel syndrome involves a communication glitch between the brain and gut. But experts disagree on whether drugs that act on the gastrointestinal tract or psychological therapies that alter thoughts and emotions will ultimately prove most beneficial.

“There is a camp totally focused on the GI tract. But there is also a lot of talk about how we’re beginning to understand the mind-body connection,” said Dr. Emeran Mayer, director of the Center for Neurovisceral Sciences and Women’s Health at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Dissatisfaction with the two medications currently approved for IBS – Lotronex and Zelnorm – has led to a resurgence of interest in how patients can help themselves, said Jeffrey M. Lackner, an assistant professor of medicine at University at Buffalo, State University of New York.

“At this point, there are no drugs that seem to be satisfactory for the full range of symptoms,” he said. “The real burden of IBS rests on the shoulders of patients on a day-to-day basis.”

By Shari Roan – Los Angeles Times

Traditional treatment consists of fiber therapy, antispasmodic medications and antidepressants. Fiber is added to the diet both through the use of bulking type laxatives and a high fiber diet. These are just as important for those people who chief complaint is diarrhea as it is for constipation. Antispasmodic medications, such as Bentyl, reduce the spasms in the gut. Antidepressants, in this case, actually function on the nervous system of the gut to reduce its sensitivity to pain and other sensations rather than acting as emotional mood enhancers. However, anyone who has suffered from the symptoms of IBS for any length of time justifiably presents with some degree of depression. It is important to note that only 25% of the people who suffer with IBS symptoms respond to traditional treatments. That means that 75% do not seem to improve with traditional treatments or do not improve enough to actually feel better.

However, the evidence is overwhelming that IBS symptoms do respond to hypnosis. Not only do they respond, but they respond dramatically! The research evidence to support this is so dramatic and so overwhelming that Adriane Fugh-Berman, M.D., chair of the National Women’s Health Network in Washington, D.C., says that hypnosis should be the treatment of choice for severe cases of IBS. In my practice, so far, 100% of the clients I have treated with hypnosis have shown improvement in their symptoms. 94% have gained greater than a 50% reduction in symptoms and 83% have become symptom free and remained that way long after the sessions have ended. Seven of the first eight clients (the number in the first phase of a three stage research project) became symptom free during the six sessions. While the eighth subject did not become symptom free in the standard six session regime, his symptoms did improve significantly in numbers of episodes and the duration and severity of symptoms in those episodes. He continued his sessions to gain greater relief. All of these clients had refractory (meaning they did not respond to drug and diet therapy) IBS symptoms for greater than four years. Most reported that the symptoms had started in childhood. Clients ranged in age from 35 to 50 years old. Although all of them were taking multiple medications, including steroids, bulking laxatives and on special diets, none of them had gained relief from their symptoms.

For instance, Melinda is a 35 year old special education teacher. When Melinda firs t came to my office she had recently been release from the hospital for a particularly severe episode of uncontrolled diarrhea. She was on high dosages of multiple medications. She reported that the medications had too many side effects and that in spite of them she had not seen much improvement in her symptoms. Whiel she was no longer experiencing fecal incontinence, she still had watery stools several times a day. When asked to rank her symptoms on a scale of zero to ten, with ten being the worst and zero indicating the absence of symptoms, she ranked them as follows: diarrhea, 5; abdominal pain, 7; bloating, 8 and fatigue, 8. At the beginning of the sixth and final session she ranked the same symptoms as follows: diarrhea, 0; abdominal pain, 0; bloating, ‘maybe 2″; fatigue, 0. She reported these results in symptom improvement in spite of higher levels of stress caused by the unexpected deaths of two close friends. Working in conjunction with her physician, Melinda is now off medications for her IBS symptoms and remains symptom free.

Jackie characterized her symptoms as a ‘panic attack of the bowels.’ After only two sessions she reported that her symptoms had improved so much that she ‘actually got out with her family and went places’ for the first time in over four years. She cannot remember when she did not have IBS symptoms. Now, she reports that she ‘feels better upon awakening than I have in years.’ She no longer has abdominal pain upon awakening. Even though she had one period of diarrhea in a time of unduly high stress, she still had no pain associated with it. Working in conjunction with her physician, Jackie has come off all the drugs she was on prior to starting the program and has not had a return of her symptoms even though her stress levels remain high.

Susan, a financial specialist, during her first visit characterized her symptoms as: pain, 10; gas, 7; bloating, 10; constipation, 10; and diarrhea, 2. By the middle of the program she reported her symptoms as follows: pain, 0; gas, 1; bloating, 0; constipation, 0-1; and diarrhea, 0. By the end of the program she reported zeros in all categories.

The common thread among these people is that they had unabated IBS symptoms which interfered with their daily living. None of them actually believed hypnosis would work to alleviate their symptoms. However, they were so desperate for relief they were willing to try anything. They were desperate for hope, for an alternative to ‘learning to live with’ debilitating symptoms. Now, due to hypnotherapy treatment for their symptoms, they have been able to return to a much more normal lifestyle.

The hypnotherapeutic model I used with these people was inspired by the research done by gastroenterologist Peter J. Whorwell, MD, in Manchester, England, and Dr. Olafur Palsson’s research done at Eastern Virginia Medical Center. The clients came for six to eight sessions spaced two weeks apart. The hypnosis portion of their session was tape recorded and they were instructed to play the tape for themselves daily between sessions. All suggestions, metaphors and imagery was ‘gut specific’ and incorporated information on how a normal gastrointestinal system functions. Suggestions were made about the intestines being coated with a special, protective coating to insulate it from irritants, etc. At the last session, subjects were taught self hypnosis techniques and given instructions on how to formulate their own self hypnotic suggestions.

Each session consisted of four distinct parts. Each session consists of an evaluation and management phase in which you rank the client’s symptoms for the past two week period. The second phase of the session consists of educating the client concerning their illness and various aspects of good health and nutritional habits. The third phase is the induction in which you induce deep to profound states of relaxation on each session and the fourth phase consists of the actual gut specific metaphors and suggestions. Personally, I give very few direct suggestions and use mainly gut specific metaphors.

The numerous studies published in the world’s medical literature document that hypnosis is a highly effective treatment for IBS symptoms. Hypnosis represents a brief therapy which is benign, noninvasive and inexpensive. Since IBS symptoms are cyclical in nature, the results of any therapy must be evaluated over a long period of time. The greater the number of hypnosis sessions, the longer lasting the relief the client gets. While many clients will report symptom relief after one or two sessions, unless they come back for multiple sessions spaced over a period of three to four months, they will notice a gradual ‘creeping back’ of their symptoms. Clients following the multi-session approach have now maintained their symptom improvements for up to five years after the sessions ended–and still counting.

In today’s insurance climate of managed care, hypnotherpy is being embraced. It is imperative, however, that you work closely with the client’s personal physician and that you not accept clients who have not gotten a definitive diagnosis of IBS. Successful IBS clients will build a practice for you.

Melissa J. Roth, CHt.,PhD(c) has taught these techniques to dozens of hypnotherpaists around the world over the last three years and they are all reporting similar results with their clients. Visit the author’s web site at http://www.tranceworkers.com