The Mind-Body connection has become increasingly apparent to me. It's not at all unusual for clients to feel better physically after sessions marked by deep trance or guided breathing techniques.

I wasn't surprised, therefore, to read an article in Prevention Magazine that referred to hypnosis as a "break-through treatment" for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a painful colon disturbance. As shown by studies performed at England's University of Manchester, hypnosis greatly relieved symptoms in 17 of 18 IBS cases. The patients, in a deep state of relaxation, were told to visualize a strong, protective coating on the inside of their intestines that soothed the gut and did away with their symptoms.

Chronic pain is a frustrating condition that many doctors feel powerless to remedy. Drugs help, but they can have side effects that limit their use. Fortunately, as the relationship between the mind and the body becomes identified and better understood, alternative treatments like hypnosis will become more readily available options for sufferers.

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