A combined hypnosis-echography therapy in irritable bowel syndrome: a pilot study

Aims: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder that can severely impair quality of life. While several treatments are available, their efficacy has not been completely proved. Aim of our study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of a new technique which combines traditional clinical hypnosis with echography. Methodology: of 31 IBS patients (28 F), 10 underwent combined clinical hypnosis-echography treatment, which was carried out during one 2-hour session per week for 4 months. This protocol combines hypnotherapy with echographic visualization of the abdominal organs. Treatment efficacy was evaluated utilising a symptom questionnaire and was then compared with that achieved in two control groups: one consisting of 11 patients treated with hypnotherapy alone, the other made up of 10 patients treated with conventional drug therapy. Results: The results revealed that treatment with hypnosis-echography was more efficacious than the other two therapies, the difference being more marked in comparison with drug therapy. Abdominal pain had better results but also bowel habits and quality of life improved after this combined treatment. Conclusions: the combination of hypnosis and echography can be effective in controlling IBS symptoms and in improving the quality of life of the patients treated. The best results were obtained concerning pain. This experimental protocol enables patients to increase their awareness of their own bodies and to focus the psychic and biochemical resources elicited by hypnosis on the target organs identified by echography. This experience might further broaden the field of application of echography.