The Efficacy of Hypnotherapy in the Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Overview

Journal J Neurogastroenterol Motil

Date 2014 May 21

PMID 24840368

Citations 21

Authors

Han Hee Lee

Yoon Young Choi

Myung-Gyu Choi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background/aims: Hypnotherapy is considered as a promising intervention for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but the evidence is still limited. The aims of this study were to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the efficacy of hypnotherapy for the treatment of IBS.

Methods: A literature search was performed using MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL database). Only randomized controlled trials that compared hypnotherapy with any other conven-tional treatment or no treatment in patients with IBS were included. Studies had to report outcomes as IBS symptom score or quality of life. The mean change in outcome score was used to pool these outcomes for the meta-analysis. Data were syn-thesized using the standardized mean difference for continuous data.

Results: Seven randomized controlled trials (6 papers) involving 374 patients with IBS were identified. Performance bias was high in all trials because it was impossible to blind participants and therapists in this type of intervention. The outcomes in this meta-anal-ysis were evaluated at 3 months for short-term effects and at 1 year for long-term effects. The change in abdominal pain score at 3 months was significant in the hypnotherapy group (standardized mean difference, -0.83; 95% CI, -1.65 to -0.01). Three of the 4 trials showed greater improvement in overall gastrointestinal symptoms in the hypnotherapy group.

Conclusions: This study provides clearer evidence that hypnotherapy has beneficial short-term effects in improving gastrointestinal symptoms of patients with IBS.

Citing Articles

Nerva, a mobile application of gut-directed hypnotherapy for irritable bowel syndrome: User characteristics, patterns of use, and predictors of persistence.

Simicich L, Muniz V, Scheffrahn K, Elkins G Digit Health. 2024; 10:20552076241263257.

PMID: 38882251 PMC: 11179457. DOI: 10.1177/20552076241263257.

Meta-analytic evidence on the efficacy of hypnosis for mental and somatic health issues: a 20-year perspective.

Rosendahl J, Alldredge C, Haddenhorst A Front Psychol. 2024; 14:1330238.

PMID: 38268815 PMC: 10807512. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1330238.

The use of complementary and alternative medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal symptoms in Long COVID: a systematic review.

Gawey B, Yang J, Bauer B, Song J, Wang X Ther Adv Chronic Dis. 2023; 14:20406223231190548.

PMID: 37577106 PMC: 10422885. DOI: 10.1177/20406223231190548.

Global patterns of prescription pain medication usage in disorders of gut-brain interactions.

Luo Y, Camey S, Bangdiwala S, Palsson O, Sperber A, Keefer L Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2022; 35(1):e14457.

PMID: 36111642 PMC: 10078418. DOI: 10.1111/nmo.14457.

Hypnotherapy and IBS: Time to take control of the Asian gut.

Siah K, Mahadeva S JGH Open. 2022; 6(7):445-446.

PMID: 35822116 PMC: 9260201. DOI: 10.1002/jgh3.12785.

References

Vlieger A, Menko-Frankenhuis C, Wolfkamp S, Tromp E, Benninga M . Hypnotherapy for children with functional abdominal pain or irritable bowel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. Gastroenterology. 2007; 133(5):1430-6. DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2007.08.072. View

Whorwell P, Houghton L, Taylor E, Maxton D . Physiological effects of emotion: assessment via hypnosis. Lancet. 1992; 340(8811):69-72. DOI: 10.1016/0140-6736(92)90394-i. View

Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman D . Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. Ann Intern Med. 2009; 151(4):264-9, W64. DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-151-4-200908180-00135. View

Francis C, Whorwell P . Bran and irritable bowel syndrome: time for reappraisal. Lancet. 1994; 344(8914):39-40. DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(94)91055-3. View

Gonsalkorale W, Toner B, Whorwell P . Cognitive change in patients undergoing hypnotherapy for irritable bowel syndrome. J Psychosom Res. 2004; 56(3):271-8. DOI: 10.1016/S0022-3999(03)00076-X. View

Galovski T, Blanchard E . The treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with hypnotherapy. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback. 1999; 23(4):219-32. DOI: 10.1023/a:1022209631047. View

Quartero A, Meineche-Schmidt V, Muris J, Rubin G, de Wit N . Bulking agents, antispasmodic and antidepressant medication for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005; (2):CD003460. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003460.pub2. View

Lewis S, Heaton K . Stool form scale as a useful guide to intestinal transit time. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1997; 32(9):920-4. DOI: 10.3109/00365529709011203. View

Gonsalkorale W, Miller V, Afzal A, Whorwell P . Long term benefits of hypnotherapy for irritable bowel syndrome. Gut. 2003; 52(11):1623-9. PMC: 1773844. DOI: 10.1136/gut.52.11.1623. View

10.

Whitehead W, Burnett C, Cook 3rd E, Taub E . Impact of irritable bowel syndrome on quality of life. Dig Dis Sci. 1996; 41(11):2248-53. DOI: 10.1007/BF02071408. View

11.

Drossman D, Camilleri M, Mayer E, Whitehead W . AGA technical review on irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology. 2002; 123(6):2108-31. DOI: 10.1053/gast.2002.37095. View

12.

Rainville P, Duncan G, Price D, Carrier B, Bushnell M . Pain affect encoded in human anterior cingulate but not somatosensory cortex. Science. 1997; 277(5328):968-71. DOI: 10.1126/science.277.5328.968. View

13.

Gonsalkorale W, Houghton L, Whorwell P . Hypnotherapy in irritable bowel syndrome: a large-scale audit of a clinical service with examination of factors influencing responsiveness. Am J Gastroenterol. 2002; 97(4):954-61. DOI: 10.1111/j.1572-0241.2002.05615.x. View

14.

Lea R, Houghton L, Calvert E, Larder S, Gonsalkorale W, Whelan V . Gut-focused hypnotherapy normalizes disordered rectal sensitivity in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2003; 17(5):635-42. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2036.2003.01486.x. View

15.

Whorwell P, Prior A, Colgan S . Hypnotherapy in severe irritable bowel syndrome: further experience. Gut. 1987; 28(4):423-5. PMC: 1432815. DOI: 10.1136/gut.28.4.423. View

16.

Longstreth G, Bolus R, Naliboff B, Chang L, Kulich K, Carlsson J . Impact of irritable bowel syndrome on patients' lives: development and psychometric documentation of a disease-specific measure for use in clinical trials. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2005; 17(4):411-20. DOI: 10.1097/00042737-200504000-00004. View

17.

Moser G, Tragner S, Gajowniczek E, Mikulits A, Michalski M, Kazemi-Shirazi L . Long-term success of GUT-directed group hypnosis for patients with refractory irritable bowel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Gastroenterol. 2013; 108(4):602-9. DOI: 10.1038/ajg.2013.19. View

18.

Thompson W, Longstreth G, Drossman D, Heaton K, Irvine E, Muller-Lissner S . Functional bowel disorders and functional abdominal pain. Gut. 1999; 45 Suppl 2:II43-7. PMC: 1766683. DOI: 10.1136/gut.45.2008.ii43. View

19.

Lackner J, Mesmer C, Morley S, Dowzer C, Hamilton S . Psychological treatments for irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2004; 72(6):1100-13. DOI: 10.1037/0022-006X.72.6.1100. View

20.

Wilson S, Maddison T, Roberts L, Greenfield S, Singh S . Systematic review: the effectiveness of hypnotherapy in the management of irritable bowel syndrome. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2006; 24(5):769-80. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2006.03028.x. View