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RESEARCH ON RETRAINING THE MIND 

We use a range of psychological and therapeutic techniques to help you to achieve the results you want, including hypnotherapy. Despite popular belief, there is a significant body of research and clinical studies supporting the effectiveness of hypnotherapy for IBS relief, chronic pain relief, depression and anxiety and for changing emotional responses. We provide below a summary of key studies in these areas. These studies support the services we provide at Dr Fabienne's clinics.

It is not possible to summarise here the full list of studies on the effectiveness of hypnotherapy. For a more complete list of studies on hypnotherapy for IBS, visit IBS Hypnosis.



Studies on Hypnotherapy for IBS relief
Peters SL, Yao CK, Philpott H, Yelland GW, Muir JG, Gibson PR (2016) 'Randomised clinical trial: the efficacy pf gut-directed hypnotherapy is similar to that of the low FODMAP diet for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome', Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 44 (5): 447-59


AIM: To compare the effects of gut-directed hypnotherapy to the low FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols) diet on gastrointestinal symptoms and psychological indices, and assess additive effects.

CONCLUSIONS: Durable effects of gut-directed hypnotherapy are similar to those of the low FODMAP diet for relief of gastrointestinal symptoms. Hypnotherapy has superior efficacy to the diet on psychological indices. No additive effects were observed.


Read full study abstract

Peters SL, Muir JG, Gibson PR. (2015) 'Review article: gut-directed hypnotherapy in the management of irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease', Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 41(11):1104-15.

AIM: To review the technique, mechanisms of action and evidence for efficacy, and to identify gaps in the understanding of gut-directed hypnotherapy as a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

CONCLUSIONS: Gut-directed hypnotherapy has durable efficacy in patients with IBS and possibly ulcerative colitis. Whether it sits in the therapeutic arsenal as a primary and/or adjunctive therapy cannot be ascertained on the current evidence base. Further research into efficacy, mechanisms of action and predictors of response is required.

Read full study abstract

Palsson OS (2015) 'Hypnosis Treatment of Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Comprehensive Review of the Empirical Evidence', American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 58(2):134-58
Abstract: Hypnotherapy has been investigated for 30 years as a treatment for gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. There are presently 35 studies in the published empirical literature, including 17 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that have assessed clinical outcomes of such treatment. This body of research is reviewed comprehensively in this article. Twenty-four of the studies have tested hypnotherapy for adult irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and 5 have focused on IBS or abdominal pain in children. All IBS hypnotherapy studies have reported significant improvement in gastrointestinal symptoms, and 7 out of 10 RCTs in adults and all 3 RCTs in pediatric patient samples found superior outcomes for hypnosis compared to control groups. Collectively this body of research shows unequivocally that for both adults and children with IBS, hypnosis treatment is highly efficacious in reducing bowel symptoms and can offer lasting and substantial symptom relief for a large proportion of patients who do not respond adequately to usual medical treatment approaches. For other GI disorders the evidence is more limited, but preliminary indications of therapeutic potential can be seen in the single randomized controlled trials published to date on hypnotherapy for functional dyspepsia, functional chest pain, and ulcerative colitis. Further controlled hypnotherapy trials in those three disorders should be a high priority. The mechanisms underlying the impact of hypnosis on GI problems are still unclear, but findings from a number of studies suggest that they involve both modulation of gut functioning and changes in the brain's handling of sensory signals from the GI tract.

Lindfors P, Unge P, Nyhlin H, Ljótsson B, Björnsson ES, Abrahamsson H, Simrén M. (2012) 'Long-term effects of hypnotherapy in patients with refractory irritable bowel syndrome', Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, 47(4):414-20

OBJECTIVE: Gut-directed hypnotherapy is considered to be an effective treatment in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) but few studies report the long-term effects. This retrospective study aims to evaluate the long-term perceived efficacy of gut-directed hypnotherapy given outside highly specialized hypnotherapy centers.
CONCLUSION: This long-term follow-up study indicates that gut-directed hypnotherapy in refractory IBS is an effective treatment option with long-lasting effects, also when given outside highly specialized hypnotherapy centers. Apart from the clinical benefits, the reduction in health-care utilization has the potential to reduce the health-care costs.

Read full study abstract

Whorwell PJ; Prior A; Faragher EB. (1984) Controlled trial of hypnotherapy in the treatment of severe refractory irritable-bowel syndrome.The Lancet, 2: 1232-4.

Abstract
30 patients with severe refractory irritable-bowel syndrome were randomly allocated to treatment with either hypnotherapy or psychotherapy and placebo. The psychotherapy patients showed a small but significant improvement in abdominal pain, abdominal distension, and general well-being but not in bowel habit. The hypnotherapy patients showed a dramatic improvement in all features, the difference between the two groups being highly significant. In the hypnotherapy group no relapses were recorded during the 3-month follow-up period, and no substitution symptoms were observed.


Miller V, Carruthers HR, Morris J, Hasan SS, Archbold S, Whorwell PJ. (2015) 'Hypnotherapy for irritable bowel syndrome: an audit of one thousand adult patients', Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 41(9):844-55

AIM:To review the effect of hypnotherapy in a large cohort of refractory IBS patients.

CONCLUSION: These results provide further evidence that gut-focused hypnotherapy is an effective intervention for refractory IBS.
Read full study abstract

Studies on Hypnotherapy for Chronic Pain relief

Tan, D., Rintala, D.H., Jensen, M.P., Fukui, T., Smith, D. and Williams, W. (2014) ' A randomized controlled trial of hypnosis compared with biofeedback for adults with chronic low back pain', European Journal of Pain, 19 (2): 270-281


BACKGROUND:
Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is common and results in significant costs to individuals, families and society. Although some research supports the efficacy of hypnosis for CLBP, we know little about the minimum dose needed to produce meaningful benefits, the roles of home practice and hypnotizability on outcome, or the maintenance of treatment benefits beyond 3 months.
METHODS:
One hundred veterans with CLBP participated in a randomized, four- group design study. The groups were (1) an eight-session self-hypnosis training intervention without audio recordings for home practice; (2) an eight-session self-hypnosis training intervention with recordings; (3) a two-session self-hypnosis training intervention with recordings and brief weekly reminder telephone calls; and (4) an eight-session active (biofeedback) control intervention.
RESULTS:
Participants in all four groups reported significant pre- to post-treatment improvements in pain intensity, pain interference and sleep quality. The hypnosis groups combined reported significantly more pain intensity reduction than the control group. There was no significant difference among the three hypnosis conditions. Over half of the participants who received hypnosis reported clinically meaningful (≥ 30%) reductions in pain intensity, and they maintained these benefits for at least 6 months after treatment. Neither hypnotizability nor amount of home practice was associated significantly with treatment outcome.   
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Jensen, M. & Patterson, D. (2014), 'Hypnotic approaches for chronic pain management', American Psychologist (Special issue: chronic pain and psychology), Vol. 69, No. 2, 167–177

Abstract: The empirical support for hypnosis for chronic pain management has flourished over the past two decades. Clinical trials show that hypnosis is effective for reducing chronic pain, although outcomes vary between individuals. The findings from these clinical trials also show that hypnotic treatments have a number of positive effects beyond pain control. Neurophysiological studies reveal that hypnotic analgesia has clear effects on brain and spinal-cord functioning that differ as a function of the specific hypnotic suggestions made, providing further evidence for the specific effects of hypnosis. The research results have important implications for how clinicians can help their clients experience maximum benefits from hypnosis and treatments that include hypnotic components.

The quote below from this study summarises the key points about hypnotherapy for chronic pain relief

'Findings from controlled trials indicate that hypnosis is effective for reducing chronic pain intensity on average, but that there is also substantial individual variation in outcome. Importantly, hypnosis for chronic pain has few negative side effects.

In fact, with hypnotic treatment most patients report positive side effects, such as an improved sense of well-being, a greater sense of control, improved sleep, and increase satisfaction with life, independent of whether they report reductions in pain.
' (Jensen & Patterson, 2014)




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Tomonori Adachi, Haruo Fujino, Aya Nakae, Takashi Mashimo, and Jun Sasaki (2014) 'A META-ANALYSIS OF HYPNOSIS FOR CHRONIC PAIN PROBLEMS: A Comparison Between Hypnosis, Standard Care, and Other Psychological Interventions, International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 62(1): 1–28, 2014

Abstract: Hypnosis is regarded as an effective treatment for psychological and physical ailments. However, its efficacy as a strategy for managing chronic pain has not been assessed through meta-ana- lytical methods. The objective of the current study was to conduct a meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of hypnosis for managing chronic pain. When compared with standard care, hypnosis provided moderate treatment benefit. Hypnosis also showed a moderate superior effect as compared to other psychological interventions for a non- headache group. The results suggest that hypnosis is efficacious for managing chronic pain. Given that large heterogeneity among the included studies was identified, the nature of hypnosis treatment is further discussed.


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Elkins, G., Jensen, M. & Patterson, DR. (2007) 'Hypnotherapy for the Management of Chronic Pain', International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 55:3, 275-287

Abstract: This article reviews controlled prospective trials of hypnosis for the treatment of chronic pain. Thirteen studies, excluding studies of headaches, were identified that compared outcomes from hypnosis for the treatment of chronic pain to either baseline data or a control condition. The findings indicate that hypnosis interventions consistently produce significant decreases in pain associated with a variety of chronic-pain problems. Also, hypnosis was generally found to be more effective than nonhypnotic interventions such as attention, physical therapy, and education. Most of the hypnosis interventions for chronic pain include instructions in self-hypnosis. However, there is a lack of standardization of the hypnotic interventions examined in clinical trials, and the number of patients enrolled in the studies has tended to be low and lacking long-term follow-up. Implications of the findings for future clinical research and applications are discussed
                       ____________________________________

Patterson, D. R., & Jensen, M. P. (2003). Hypnosis and clinical pain. Psychological Bulletin, 129: 495-521.

Montgomery, G. H., DuHamel, K. N., & Redd, W. H. (2000). A meta-analysis of hypnotically induced analgesia: how effective is hypnosis? International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 48: 138-153.

This meta-analysis examined the effectiveness of hypnosis in pain management. It compares studies that evaluated hypnotic pain reduction in healthy volunteers vs. those using patient samples, looks at the relationship between hypnoanalgesic effects and participants' hypnotic suggestibility, and determines the effectiveness of hypnotic suggestion for pain relief relative to other nonhypnotic psychological interventions. Examination of 18 studies revealed a moderate to large hypnoanalgesic effect, supporting the efficacy of hypnotic techniques for pain management. The results also indicated that hypnotic suggestion was equally effective in reducing both clinical and experimental pain.



Lynn, S. J., Kirsch, I., Barabasz, A., Cardeña, E., & Patterson, D. (2000). Hypnosis as an empirically supported clinical intervention: The state of the evidence and a look to the future. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 48: 235-255.


Studies on Hypnotherapy for Weight Loss
Bolocofsky, DN, Spinler, D., Coulthard-Morris, L. (1985) 'Effectiveness of hypnosis as an adjunct to behavioral weight management.” Journal of Clinical Psychology, 41 (1), 35-41.

Abstract: This study examined the effect of adding hypnosis to a behavioral weight-management program on short- and long-term weight change. One hundred nine subjects, who ranged in age from 17 to 67, completed a behavioral treatment either with or without the addition of hypnosis. At the end of the 9-week program, both interventions resulted in significant weight reduction. However, at the 8-month and 2-year follow-ups, the hypnosis clients showed significant additional weight loss, while those in the behavioral treatment exhibited little further change. More of the subjects who used hypnosis also achieved and maintained their personal weight goals. The utility of employing hypnosis as an adjunct to a behavioral weight-management program is discussed.
                    ____________________________________

Kirsch, I (1996) 'Hypnotic enhancement of cognitive-behavioral weight loss treatments—Another meta-reanalysis', Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64 (3), 517-519

Abstract: In a 3rd meta-analysis of the effect of adding hypnosis to cognitive-behavioral treatments for weight reduction, additional data were obtained from authors of 2 studies, and computational inaccuracies in both previous meta-analyses were corrected. Averaged across posttreatment and follow-up assessment periods, the mean weight loss was 6.00 lbs. (2.72 kg) without hypnosis and 11.83 lbs. (5.37 kg) with hypnosis. The mean effect size of this difference was 0.66 SD . At the last assessment period, the mean weight loss was 6.03 lbs. (2.74 kg) without hypnosis and 14.88 lbs. (6.75 kg) with hypnosis. The effect size for this difference was 0.98 SD. Correlational analyses indicated that the benefits of hypnosis increased substantially over time ( r = .74 ) .

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