What is IBS and what can be done about it?

Do we really know what IBS is as it seems syndromes such as this can come with a whole host and range of symptoms and what is for sure is that people suffering with this condition certainly know that they have it.

Whilst this illness will be classed differently to those more life threatening illnesses such as cancer, it is a very debilitating illness to have…I know I have been there myself. The symptoms people experience can range from problems with many "commonly" ate foods which can have a major impact on your social life and then talking of a social life, needing to run to the toilet every 5 minutes and being in the mind set of needing to know where the loo is and how you can get to it every time you go somewhere new and different, is hardly the type of conversation you want to share over a pint or a romantic meal. Then you have the pains and trapped wind pains which for many have been so bad that they rush themselves to hospital out of worry that they are experiencing appendicitis!!!! And this is a just a few of the symptoms that can come along with this syndrome.

So what can be done and how can complimentary approaches help?

Saying to a person that how the symptoms of IBS are psychosomatic can leave them feeling that maybe nothing can be done and whether the symptoms are stress related or not people with this illness are in "real" pain every day and often desperate for an answer or a solution and would give anything to be free of the constant pain and discomfort that they have to live with. Antispasmodics are often the prescribed approach and while for some can offer some relief, for many others they can often make no difference.

When we explore the holistic and complementary field there is a lot that can be done to have the symptoms be less if not disappear all together. By looking at the person as a whole, their life style, stress levels and foods they eat there is always something that can be done to improve IBS.

When we work holistically with people looking at the mind and body as one, we look into what was going on for the person at the time when their symptoms first started, had anything change in their life, lifestyle or eating habits, we then look at what is going on for them now that may be linked in with their symptoms. Often people who have a lot of pent up frustration or anger or there is something in their life that they cant stomach - can be manifested within the body as symptoms such as IBS.

Once we know what the mental, emotional, lifestyle and eating habits that are linked in with the symptoms, we can then use techniques such as Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy, Time Line Therapy tm and NLP to unlock the root of these links and enable the person to resolve them. This means that as well as the person being free of any excess stress, emotions and energy blocks which puts them in a better place all round it also has the body be in the best place, mentally, emotionally and energetically to start to become well. We have specialist hypnotherapy techniques that work with the bowl and gut to have the person start to get everything working great for them again, ease the symptoms and be comfortable, plus there can often be a link in with certain foods and lifestyle patterns - people rushing around, not sitting down to eat, going without breakfast and so on that can also be addressed…meaning that the person has created the change necessary inside and then knows how to create the change within their life to ensure the symptoms can become less and less for them if not totally disappear!

Doctors claim the mind relaxing techniques of hypnotherapy combats the condition, which causes constipation, diarrhoea, cramps and nausea, effecting 15% of people Complementary therapy has proven such a great tool to tackle IBS that Wythenshawe hospital in Greater Manchester has a 18 month waiting list for complementary therapy where they offer 12 sessions of hypnotherapy