[lucindalou]

Has anyone any experience of therapies involving bio-feedback methods to control the mental and physical symptoms of IBS?

 

[trbell]

what kind of bio for what type of ibs?it's been and accepted treatment for ibs-c for awhile. It's just hard to find someone that is qualified to do it.for IBS-d it probably works as well as hypnosis or CBT, i would think.tom

 

[BQ]

Lucinda, Please visit our CBT/Hypnotherapy Forum. Click on search there and pop in the word biofeedback and you will see quite a few posts about it. There were actually too many for me to post here. So hopefully you will get loads of info.Here is the url for that forum: http://www.ibsgroup.org/cgi-local/ubbcgi/u...&f=11&submit=Go Hope this helps.

BQ

 

[eric]

Biofeedback in IBS is used more for certain reasons of fucntion and the CBT and Hypnotherapy more for global symptoms of IBS. HT has the highest studied success rate to date in IBS treatments, then cbt and depending on the problem some doctors might incorporate biofeedback into the tretment or perhaps a combination of the three or with meds even."Hypnosis Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome By: Olafur S. Palsson, Psy.D., Research Associate, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillThe Mind and IBSThe standard medical methods currently used to treat irritable bowel syndrome IBS are of some help to the majority of people with the disorder. However, up to half 1 of IBS sufferers are dissatisfied with the results of standard medical management, and many continue to have frequent symptoms after seeing doctors about them.In recent years, other alternatives have been sought to help these individuals. There has been growing interest in the possibility of using the mind to soothe the symptoms of IBS. Mental states clearly affect the way the gut behaves in people with IBS, and in fact, also in people who have no gastrointestinal problems. Although IBS is probably not caused by stress directly, it is well established from research that psychological stress increases the symptoms of many people who have the disorder. If the mind can have such a powerful negative influence on the intestinal tract, it would seem to make sense that the mind could be used to have a positive or calming influence on the intestines.Several psychological methods to treat IBS symptoms have been tested in formal research studies, including biofeedback, cognitive therapy, psychodynamic insight-oriented therapy, and hypnosis treatment. It is unclear, to date, which of these psychological treatment methods is most effective, for they have generally not been tested side by side. However, cognitive therapy 2,3 and hypnosis treatment 4-7 have had the highest reported success rates in repeated formal research studies, with improvement seen in 80% or more of all treated patients in some studies. Hypnosis treatment will be discussed specifically in this article. "

 

[eric]

Forgot the links and these are really worth readin if you have questions let me know. http://www.aboutibs.org/Publications/HypnosisPalsson.html http://www.ibshypnosis.com/IBSresearch.html http://www.aboutibs.org/Publications/hypnosis.html http://www.med.unc.edu/medicine/fgidc/hypnosis.htm This is on CBTBarbara Bradley Bolen, Ph.D.bbolen###optonline.netSeptember 5, 2002COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPYFOR IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROMEThere is an old saying that if you give a child a fish, you feed that child for a day, but if you teach a child to fish, they are fed for a lifetime. In accordance with this old proverb, Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that strives to actively teach people skills and strategies that they can use to help themselves feel better. A considerable amount of research indicates that CBT is effective in helping to reduce the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.Many people wonder how psychotherapy can help IBS if IBS is a physical disorder. One of the major triggers that can set off or exacerbate IBS is stress. In addition, IBS is a very stressful disorder to live with. CBT provides an individual with tools for combating stress, reducing the anxiety response and thus calming the GI system.The cognitive therapy part of CBT helps individuals to identify, challenge and replace unhealthy thought patterns. When we are thinking clearly, we are able to deal with the world in a calm, rational manner. However, our thinking often gets distorted, due to our personalities, our past history, our emotional state or lack of information. When thinking gets distorted it can lead to excessive emotional reactions. For an individual with IBS, these thought distortions may lead to an anxiety response that can trigger symptoms. For example, if a person with IBS thinks �My stomach is rumbling. Uh, oh! I know I am going to be sick. What is I can�t make it to the bathroom? This is terrible!�, that person is going to experience anxiety and perhaps set off the very symptoms they are afraid of. If instead, the person thinks, �Just because my stomach is making some noise does not necessarily mean I am going to have symptoms. I will just focus on what I am doing and see what happens�, that person will remain calm and be less likely to stimulate their digestive system.The behavioral aspect of CBT involves skill training. Relaxation techniques, including deep breathing skills and progressive muscle relaxation, help the individual to reduce the physiological symptoms of anxiety. An anxiety reaction can be likened to a home security alarm. Relaxation techniques send the message to the body that there is no emergency and that the alarm can be shut off. CBT for IBS may also include skill training in assertion and anger management, as research has shown that IBS patients often have difficulty in these areas.IBS can wreak havoc on a person�s quality of life. CBT helps IBS sufferers to regain a sense of control over their life. With the skills gained in CBT, one no longer needs to be a passive victim of this disruptive disorder, but can now actively use strategies which are effective in reducing the frequency, intensity and duration of IBS symptoms.Barbara Bradley Bolen, Ph.D.bbolen###optonline.netAuthor of:Breaking the Bonds of Irritable Bowel SyndromeNew Harbinger Publications 2000A brief on Psychological Services for IBS. Biofeedback is in there. http://www.med.unc.edu/medicine/fgidc/psychserv.htm