# Hypnotherapy for GERD



## Serenity (Feb 6, 2002)

Just wondering whether Mike has an audio program specifically for the treatment of GERD? If not, would the IBS program help reduce symptoms of GERD?I am thinking of ordering the tapes as I have both IBS and GERD... not to mention anxiety and a few other things I won't bother listing.


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Serenity, sorry it took me a bit to repond to you. He does not have one for gerd and gerd needs to be address as its own problem and treated by a doctor.However, the simple answer is the tapes may help with it and should help the IBS and anxiety and this in turn could help the gerd.This is on dyspepsia. Not gerd however.Hypnotherapy Effective in Functional DyspepsiaLaurie Barclay, MDDec. 18, 2002 ï¿½ Hypnotherapy was better than medical or supportive care for the management of functional dyspepsia, according to the results of a randomized trial published in the December issue of Gastroenterology."Hypnotherapy is highly effective in the long-term management of functional dyspepsia," write Emma L. Calvert and colleagues from Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester, U.K. "Furthermore, the dramatic reduction in medication use and consultation rate provide major economic advantages."In this study, 126 patients with functional dyspepsia were randomized to hypnotherapy, supportive therapy plus placebo medication, or medical treatment for 16 weeks. Median improvement in short-term symptom scores after 16 weeks was 59% in the hypnotherapy group, 41% in the supportive group P = .01, and 33% in the medical group P = .057. Median improvement in quality of life was 42% in the hypnotherapy group, 10% in the supportive group P < .001, and 11% in the medical group P < .001.After 56 weeks, hypnotherapy significantly improved long-term symptoms median improvement, 73% compared with supportive therapy 34%; P < .02 or medical treatment 43%; P < .01. Quality of life improved significantly more with hypnotherapy median improvement, 44% than with medical treatment 20%; P < .001. Although median improvement in quality of life was 43% in the supportive therapy group, five of these patients began taking antidepressants during follow-up.None of the patients in the hypnotherapy group required medication use during follow-up, compared with 90% of patients in the medical group and 82% of patients in the supportive group P < .001. During follow-up, the median number of patient visits to their general practitioner or gastroenterologist was one in the hypnotherapy group, four in the supportive therapy group, and four in the medical treatment group P < .001.In an accompanying editorial, Olafur S. Palsson and William E. Whitehead from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill point out research questions that remain unanswered concerning hypnotherapy in functional gastrointestinal disorders. These include the unknown mechanism of action, lack of parallel comparisons with other psychological treatments, failure to test hypnotherapy combined with medications, and unknown efficacy of hypnotherapy when administered in an automated home-treatment format."Although some of the studies to date on hypnotherapy for functional gastrointestinal disorders have been small and lacking in methodological rigor, and many research questions remain unanswered, the cumulative and consistent evidence for efficacy of hypnotherapy for these disorders seems to warrant serious consideration of its use as a regular adjunct in primary care and gastroenterology treatment of patients with functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome," they write.Gastroenterology. 2002;123:1778-1785, 2132-2147Reviewed by Gary D. Vogin, MDThis is on gerd and stress though http://ibs.med.ucla.edu/Newsletters/Summer02Hrtbrn.htm To treat the IBS however, Mike's tapes can really make a difference on the IBS for me it was the best thing I have ever done for my IBS and many, many others would concur with that feeling.You did read this already yes? http://www.med.unc.edu/medicine/fgidc/hypn...dc/hypnosis.htm


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## Serenity (Feb 6, 2002)

Hi Eric,Thanks for all the helpful information you posted. I had read the UNC information before, but it was helpful to re-read it.I do understand the seriousness of GERD and the importance of medical treatment. My GI has never actually said I have "GERD". In the absence of any inflammation upon upper endoscopy three years ago, she just said my symptoms are being caused by "acid reflux", and prescribed Losec. My primary symptoms are nausea and a spasm type feeling in my esophagus at night. I also have a very small hiatus hernia. Sometimes I get true "heartburn", i.e. pain, but rarely. Since I responded somewhat favourably to Losec, I still take it and my GI is okay with this, although she does want to do another endoscopy in October. When I have tried to discontinue it, the nausea gets worse, although I suspect this would be the case even in a ï¿½normalï¿½ individual. Wouldnï¿½t discontinuation of acid suppression result in rebound acid in anyone? Do you know if there is any medical literature on this?My personal feeling is I have idiopathic nausea, or functional nausea, or dyspepsia, or something along those lines -- I find all the terminology so confusing -- possibly in addition to acid reflux. Since I also have longstanding depression and anxiety (GAD), this makes sense to me. So, I will continue to take medications for acid reflux, but I really would like to overcome the nausea. I also desperately want to get over being depressed and anxious.


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