Long term benefits of hypnotherapy for irritable bowel syndrome
Open accessAbstract
Background and aims: There is now good evidence from several sources that hypnotherapy can relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome in the short term. However, there is no long term data on its benefits and this information is essential before the technique can be widely recommended. This study aimed to answer this question. Patients and methods: 204 patients prospectively completed questionnaires scoring symptoms, quality of life, anxiety, and depression before, immediately after, and up to six years following hypnotherapy. All subjects also subjectively assessed the effects of hypnotherapy retrospectively in order to define their “responder status”. Results: 71% of patients initially responded to therapy. Of these, 81% maintained their improvement over time while the majority of the remaining 19% claimed that deterioration of symptoms had only been slight. With respect to symptom scores, all items at follow up were significantly improved on pre-hypnotherapy levels (p<0.001) and showed little change from post-hypnotherapy values. There were no significant differences in the symptom scores between patients assessed at 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5+ years following treatment. Quality of life and anxiety or depression scores were similarly still significantly improved at follow up (p<0.001) but did show some deterioration. Patients also reported a reduction in consultation rates and medication use following the completion of hypnotherapy. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the beneficial effects of hypnotherapy appear to last at least five years. Thus it is a viable therapeutic option for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.
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The IBSSSS has satisfactory reliability and is sensitive to change.
“This scale has been shown to have satisfactory reliability and to be sensitive to change (Gonsalkorale, Miller, Afzal, & Whorwell, 2003).”
From Pilot study of acceptance and commitment therapy for irritable bowel syndrome: A preliminary analysis of treatment outcomes and processes of change. (2018) · cites this paper as Gonsalkorale, Miller, Afzal, & Whorwell, 2003
The IBS symptoms section reports significant changes in overall IBS questionnaire scores after hypnotherapy, which supports the scale detecting change in this cohort. The Discussion’s statement about reliability concerns the separate subjective assessment questionnaire (SAQ), not the IBS severity scale. The paper does not establish satisfactory reliability for the IBSSSS. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredIntervention with gut-focused hypnotherapy has been shown to have wider socioeconomic benefits including improving general well-being, reductions in healthcare utilisation in both primary and secondary care, reduced presenteeism at work, improved quality of life and long-term beneficial effects on symptoms.
“However, intervention with gut-focused hypnotherapy has been shown to have wider socioeconomic benefits including improving general well-being, reductions in healthcare utilisation in both primary and secondary care, [254][255][256] reduced presenteeism at work, 255 improved quality of life 252 257 and long-term beneficial effects on symptoms, 256”
From British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines on the management of irritable bowel syndrome (2021) · cites this paper as [256]
The efficacy of gut-directed hypnotherapy is already well-established.
“The efficacy of gut‐directed hypnotherapy, however, is already well‐established”
From Nurse‐Administered Gut‐Directed Hypnotherapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Two‐Year Follow‐Up Study (2025) · cites this paper as [13]
A few previous studies have reported long-lasting therapeutic effects of gut-directed hypnotherapy following intervention.
“a few studies have reported long‐lasting therapeutic effects following intervention”
From Nurse‐Administered Gut‐Directed Hypnotherapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Two‐Year Follow‐Up Study (2025) · cites this paper as [13]
This study confirms previous findings on the long-term efficacy of gut-directed hypnotherapy.
“In conclusion, this study confirms previous findings on the long‐term efficacy of gut‐directed hypnotherapy [13, 15, 17, 25].”
From Nurse‐Administered Gut‐Directed Hypnotherapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Two‐Year Follow‐Up Study (2025) · cites this paper as [13]
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“Since then, a few long‐term follow‐up studies reporting therapeutic effects lasting several years after the end of treatment have been published [13– 17].”
- Authors
- Gonsalkorale, W. M., Miller, V, Afzal, A., & Whorwell, P. J.
- Affiliations
- Withington Community Hospital (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Gonsalkorale, W M
- ORCID
- Whorwell, P J
- Venue
- Gut
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 2003-10-21
- Volume
- 52
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 1623-1629
- ISSN
- 0017-5749 (ISSN-L)
- 1468-3288
- PMC
- PMC1773844
- OpenAlex
- W2097308152
- Cited by
- 283
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 15.81
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Gut (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (publishedVersion)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Pain Management and Placebo Effect
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Infant Health and Development
- Keywords
- hypnotherapy, irritable bowel syndrome, long-term treatment outcomes, symptom maintenance, quality of life, anxiety, depression, medication use, consultation rates
- MeSH terms
- Anxiety, Defecation, Depression, Humans, Hypnosis, Pain, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Prospective Studies, Quality of Life, Surveys and Questionnaires, Time Factors, Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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