How Hypnotherapy can help Irritable Bowel Syndrome Hypnotherapy seems to be an effective long term treatment for irritable bowel syndrome, research finds. IBS is a very common disorder affecting up to 15% of the population at any one time, but is difficult to treat. Researcher based on a large sample of 200 patients in Manchester found hypnotherapy helped 71% of patients - and its effect lasted up to five years after treatment. Lead researcher Dr Wendy Gonsalkorale argues that "the real significance is that these effects are sustained after treatment sessions have finished, rather than patients just reverting back to their original state. We firmly believe that hypnotherapy should be available as a standard treatment for all patients with IBS." < Back