Bowel Disorders Treated with Mind –Body Therapy

The majority of doctors tend to ignore the holistic approaches when it comes to bowel disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome. However, some of the studies have found that cognitive behavioral therapy and hypnosis may have positive effects on the patients struggling with problems of this kind.

The Latest Studies

The researchers see as their goal is to raise awareness among the health care providers to take into consideration the holistic approaches as well when treating their patients. The main point is to make the doctors not dismiss the holistic approaches because this might be exactly what the patients need.

Results of Studies

The latest study of the field assessed 19 different clinical trials that were all meant to assess the benefits of body-mind therapies, such as hypnotherapy, yoga, biofeedback, and cognitive behavioral therapy. According to these trials, there might be increased benefits in case of cognitive behavioral therapy and hypnotherapy.

Generalizing the Findings

Although there might be positive outcomes in case of these therapies, it is very difficult to generalize the results. This is because the research methodologies aren’t consistent in case of all studies. In the same time some of the studies worked only with a small number of people, and so the results aren’t representative for a larger pool of patients.

The Condition

Bowel disorders appear in the moment when the bowel and the stomach don’t work as they should and in the majority of the cases the condition is also accompanied by pain in the abdomen, bloating, and other kinds of intestinal symptoms. The majority of the treatment methods are meant to treat these symptoms.

Negative Attitudes

Bowel disorders are known to be chronic conditions so they come and go over time. This is why the patients could develop a negative attitude which may affect the outcome of the treatment. The cognitive behavioral therapy is meant to change the attitude of the patients towards the treatment methods. One of the studies conducted in the field has found that cognitive behavioral therapy works just as well as antidepressants.

Hypnosis

The main goal of hypnosis is to reduce the pain of the patients. Some of the studies suggest that this kind of therapy works as well as medication therapy. Although the results are promising, at the moment there is nothing conclusive and there is need for other studies that would prove beyond any doubt that these methods are successful.