Radboud Annals of Medical Students

RAMS

  • Home
  • News
    • Newsletter archive
  • About
    • RAMS
    • The Board
      • The General Board
        • The General Board (2021-2022)
        • Previous General Boards
      • The Editorial Board
        • The Editorial Board (2021-2022)
        • Previous Editorial Boards
    • The Supervisory Board
    • Reviewers and Editors
    • RAMS Committees
      • Symposium Committee
      • Masterclass Committee
  • Editions
    • 2021-2022
      • Twentieth Edition – September 2021
      • Twentyfirst Edition – December 2021
      • Twenty second Edition – March 2022
    • 2020-2021
      • Sixteenth edition – September 2020
      • Seventeenth edition – December 2020
      • Eighteenth edition – March 2021
      • Nineteenth Edition – June 2021
    • 2019-2020
      • Fourteenth edition – December 2019
      • Fifteenth edition – April 2020
      • Sixteenth edition – September 2020
    • 2018-2019
      • Eleventh Edition – September 2018
      • Twelfth Edition – January 2019
      • Thirteenth edition – May 2019
    • 2017 – 2018
      • Ninth Edition – November 2017
      • Tenth Edition – February 2018
    • 2016-2017
      • Sixth Edition – November 2016
      • Seventh Edition – March 2017
      • Eighth Edition – July 2017
    • 2015-2016
      • Third Edition – November 2015
      • Fourth Edition – March 2016
      • Fifth Edition – June 2016
    • 2014-2015
      • Pilot Edition – June 2014
      • First Edition – January 2015
      • Second Edition – June 2015
  • For Authors
    • Submit your Article
    • Research internship
  • For Supervisors
  • For Reviewers
  • Contact
  • Privacy policy
Je bent hier: Home / News / Hypnotise the abdominal pain away

Hypnotise the abdominal pain away

31 oktober 2018 by Rams

By Mylène Gorissen

When being tense about a presentation or the coming Christmas holidays, many children experience abdominal pain as an expression of stress. Once the presentation is over or the gifts have finally been received, this belly pain has vanished. In some of these children however, the abdominal pains take the form of functional abdominal pain (FAP) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Unfortunately, these types of pain can not be treated by opening a present.

Abdominal pain is common in children, with a worldwide prevalence of FAP and IBS of 13.5% [1]. These types of abdominal pain are characterised by chronic or recurrent abdominal pain without any detectable organic disorder [2]. Instead of a defect in the gut, these abdominal disorders rely on an imbalance in the brain-gut-axis. One’s psychosocial development is affected by genetics and environmental factors like exposure to infections, family influences on illness expression and major losses [3]. This has an effect on the susceptibility to life stress or psychological state and coping skills, and also on the predisposition to gut dysfunction [3]. The gut dysfunction is the result of altered mucosal immunity, abnormal motility and visceral hypersensitivity (an abnormal reaction of the gut to otherwise normal stimuli, like food ingestion). In return, these brain-gut-variables influence their expression. Via the brain-gut-axis, the interaction of psychosocial factors and altered gut physiology result in the so-called functional gastrointestinal disorders [3].

Until recently, treatment for these functional abdominal disorders consisted of pharmacological pain management and education in the origin of the functional symptoms and lifestyle (including diet and fluid intake) [1]. In the case of obstipation, laxatives can be used. A treatment that received much attention in the Netherlands recently, is hypnotherapy. This is not like the hypnosis we see on television, with a mesmerist swinging a pocket watch in front of someone’s face in order to hypnotise the person and force him to do weird things. The hypnotherapy, in this case, is a well-developed psychological therapy.

The idea behind this psychological therapy is the biopsychosocial model in which a person’s biology (for example genetics and gastrointestinal physiology), behaviours (like avoidance, eating, exercise etcetera), and higher-order cognitive processes (like coping, information processing, illness beliefs and environmental stimuli) influence IBS symptom expression in the brain-gut-axis [4]. In hypnotherapy, the aim is to address the underlying biopsychosocial processes that contribute to symptom expression [4].

Therefore, verbal cues are used for inducing a state of deep relaxation. These cues are ‘gut-directed’ and opposed to unpleasant visceral sensations [4]. For example, the patient is instructed to feel relaxed and warm muscles around his or her belly [4]. In this way, the purpose of the therapy is to change the perception, emotions, thoughts, and behaviours contributing to abdominal pain [4]. Gut-directed hypnotherapy proved very effective, with success rates varying from 49% to 100% in adults and children [1]. The significant lower pain levels remained in the long-term as well. The therapy can be provided by a certified therapist but is also effective when done in self-exercises via CD [1]. This self-directed therapy is interesting since there are patients who do not have access to the therapy due to costs, geographic location or the absence of qualified therapists [4]. Despite the recent scientific support for the efficacy of hypnosis, there are still some questions that need to be answered, for example, the mechanisms that account for the therapeutic change [4]. Also, research on the  differences in effectiveness is scarce. However, some hypotheses are formed. For example, treatment response differs between men and women, which may be attributable to different neural processing of visceral stimuli [1]. It is also known that negative beliefs mediate outcomes of cognitive behavior therapy and may predict long-term outcome in children with IBS: having fewer negative beliefs about the abdominal pain resulted in better treatment response [1]. Until then, keep this option in mind for treatment when assessing a child or even an adult with functional abdominal pain.

 

[1] Rutten JMTM et al. Home-Based Hypnotherapy Self-exercises vs Individual Hypnotherapy With a Therapist for Treatment of Pediatric Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Functional Abdominal Pain, or Functional Abdominal Pain Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Pediatr. 2017 May 1;171(5):470-477.
[2] Rutten JM et al. Gut-directed hypnotherapy for functional abdominal pain or irritable bowel syndrome in children: a systematic review. Arch Dis Child. 2013 Apr;98(4):252-7.
[3] Drossman DA. The functional gastrointestinal disorders and the Rome III process. Gastroenterology 2006;130:1377–90.
[4] Radziwon CD, Lackner JM. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for IBS: How Useful, How Often, and How does it work? Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2017 Aug 17;19(10):49

 

Categorie: News

RAMS Newsletter

RAMS complies to the GDPR. By submitting your e-mail address to us you agree with our Privacy Policy.

Social Media


Sponsors & Partners

  • Brian Gardner
  • Lauren Mancke
  • Nathan Rice
  • Nick Croft
  • Rafal Tomal
  • Ron Rennick
© Copyright 2014 RADBOUD ANNALS OF MEDICAL STUDENTS · All Rights Reserved · Powered by PLatform11
Beheer cookie toestemming

Om de beste ervaringen te bieden, gebruiken wij technologieën zoals cookies om informatie over je apparaat op te slaan en/of te raadplegen. Door in te stemmen met deze technologieën kunnen wij gegevens zoals surfgedrag of unieke ID's op deze site verwerken. Als je geen toestemming geeft of uw toestemming intrekt, kan dit een nadelige invloed hebben op bepaalde functies en mogelijkheden.

Functioneel Altijd actief
De technische opslag of toegang is strikt noodzakelijk voor het legitieme doel het gebruik mogelijk te maken van een specifieke dienst waarom de abonnee of gebruiker uitdrukkelijk heeft gevraagd, of met als enig doel de uitvoering van de transmissie van een communicatie over een elektronisch communicatienetwerk.
Voorkeuren
De technische opslag of toegang is noodzakelijk voor het legitieme doel voorkeuren op te slaan die niet door de abonnee of gebruiker zijn aangevraagd.
Statistieken
De technische opslag of toegang die uitsluitend voor statistische doeleinden wordt gebruikt. De technische opslag of toegang die uitsluitend wordt gebruikt voor anonieme statistische doeleinden. Zonder dagvaarding, vrijwillige naleving door uw Internet Service Provider, of aanvullende gegevens van een derde partij, kan informatie die alleen voor dit doel wordt opgeslagen of opgehaald gewoonlijk niet worden gebruikt om je te identificeren.
Marketing
De technische opslag of toegang is nodig om gebruikersprofielen op te stellen voor het verzenden van reclame, of om de gebruiker op een website of over verschillende websites te volgen voor soortgelijke marketingdoeleinden.
Beheer opties Beheer diensten Beheer leveranciers Lees meer over deze doeleinden
Bekijk voorkeuren
{title} {title} {title}