Can Hypnotherapy Be Considered a Valuable Component in the Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease? Insights from a Comprehensive Review.

Abstract

Despite advancements in medication,managing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains challenging, necessitatingalternative control methods. Gut-directed hypnotherapy, known for alleviating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), is debated as an IBD management method. Anextensive search across PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Clinicaltrials.govuncovered five randomized trials and two case series involving IBD patients undergoing hypnotherapy. A small trial reported statistically significant remission at one year (p = .04), but larger trials, including one with 63 patients, showed no significant gastrointestinal improvements. The first case series noted post-intervention reduction in the mediators of inflammation in rectal mucosal, without long-term monitoring. The second case series observed the absence of flare episodes in 12 of 13 ulcerative colitis patients during follow-up, possibly influenced by the simultaneous use of two drugs alongside hypnotherapy. Psychological outcomes, demonstrated no significant differences between hypnotherapy and control groups. While current literature doesn't decisively support hypnotherapy for managing IBD symptoms, it underscores the importance of further research, including randomized clinical trials, to thoroughly assess its effectiveness in this context.