# Non gi complaints



## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

IBS ï¿½ Beyond the Bowel: The Meaning of Co-existing Medical ProblemsOlafur S. Palsson, Psy.D.William E. Whitehead, Ph.D.FYI"Is it possible to reduce non-gastrointestinal symptoms in IBS?It is unknown to what degree standard medical treatment for IBS, when successful, also results inimprovement in non-GI symptoms. The problem is that most IBS treatment research has notexamined how non-IBS symptoms change. Non-IBS symptoms have also not been a focus ofstandard IBS treatment. An exception to this is psychological treatment trials for IBS, whichsometimes have included general physical symptom questionnaires among the measures oftreatment effects. We therefore know from our two studies of hypnosis treatment for IBS22 aswell as from research in England23 that hypnosis treatment for IBS regularly improves non-GIsymptoms substantially in addition to beneficial effects on bowel symptoms. Less is knownabout improvement in non-GI symptoms from cognitive-behavioral therapy, which is the otherwidely researched psychological treatment for IBS. However, there is every reason to believethat cognitive-behavioral treatment can reduce the tendency to experience a lot of generalphysical symptoms, based on a review of over 30 such treatment studies24. These benefits ofpsychological treatment for IBS point to extra value of such treatments for the subgroup of IBSpatients who have many non-GI symptoms.Research in coming years will hopefully identify other ways to improve the well-being and lifefunctioning of IBS patients by reducing non-GI symptoms, and this is likely to become anintegral part of managing IBS effectively in the subset of patients who suffer many symptomsand conditions beyond the bowel." http://www.med.unc.edu/wrkunits/2depts/med...the%20bowel.pdf article is available in PDF format and you may click on the appropriate star to bring up the PDF version. If you do not already have Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer which is needed to read these files, you may download it for free by clicking the button below. http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html


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## Guest (Nov 7, 2003)

I can vouch first-hand for the overall body benefits of engaging in CBT. Our capabilities can be determined largely by the thoughts that propel them.The trick is for the "think machine" to be well-oiled and in good working order.....







Evie


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