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(NaturalNews) Functional Abdominal Pain (FAP) is very common in children. Pain in the abdomen is diagnosed as FAP when the pain is chronic and there seem to be no other symptoms. Children should be checked by a medical professional to rule out other illnesses.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects the digestive system. Symptoms include pain in the abdomen, diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, headache, and nausea. People with IBS have sensitive intestines that result in cramping or spasms due to food and even stress.
For both functional abdominal pain and irritable bowel syndrome, traditional treatment includes medication and a change in diet. Eating more fiber and reducing fat intake has been shown to help relieve the symptoms.

It has been shown that hypnotherapy sessions can help adults treat IBS. A recent study was performed to test the efficacy of hypnosis in treating children with FAP or IBS. The study consisted of 53 children age 8-18 years who were suffering from FAP or IBS. There were 31 patients who had been medically diagnosed with FAP and 22 were medically diagnosed with IBS.

They were randomly put into two groups. One group received 6 sessions of hypnotherapy during the course of the three-month study. The other group, the control group, received standard medical care and 6 sessions of therapy.

All participants were asked to keep diaries on a weekly basis to keep track of their pain intensity and frequency. These diaries were recorded before the study started, during therapy, and during the 6 and 12-month follow-ups.

Results compared the two groups. The hypnotherapy group reported borderline pain intensity to be 13.5. The one-year follow-up reported a pain intensity of 1.3. The control group reported borderline pain intensity to be 14.1 and the one-year follow-up showed a pain intensity of 8.0. The hypnotherapy group reported borderline pain frequency to be 13.5 and the one-year follow-up reported a 1.1. The control group saw a decrease in pain frequency from a borderline of 14.4 to 9.3 at the one-year follow-up.

The study concluded that hypnotherapy resulted in improved pain intensity and frequency in children. The one-year follow-up showed 85% of the hypnotherapy group received successful treatment compared to 25% of the control group.

Source:
Vlieger, A., Menko-Frankenhuis, C., Wolfkamp, S., Tromp, E. and Benninga, M. (2003). Hypnotherapy for Children with Functional Abdominal Pain or Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Gastroenterology. 133(5). 1430-1436.

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