Feasibility and acceptability of gut-directed hypnosis on inflammatory bowel disease.

Hypnotically assisted treatments have been used to reduce stress, improve gastrointestinal motility, strengthen immune function, and potentially reduce inflammation. Such treatments may also help reduce disease flares and improve quality of life in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). The authors report the results of a case series of 8 white female patients with inactive IBD. All participants initiated and completed treatment, supporting the general acceptability of hypnotically assisted treatment among IBD patients. There was a significant improvement in IBD-quality of life scores for the group posttreatment, t(7) = -3.38, p = .01, with a mean improvement in quality of life of 29 points with significant changes in all 4 subscales. No negative effects of treatment were found.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2007 Oct;55(4):457-66. Keefer L, Keshavarzian A. Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA. laurie.keefer@northwestern.edu