American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis
16-12-2025
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Efficacy of hypnotherapy in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): a systematic review and meta-analysis

This report outlines the findings of a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis published in mid-December 2025. The study aimed to evaluate the definitive efficacy of hypnotherapy as a management strategy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a functional gastrointestinal disorder that affects a significant portion of the global population.

Analyzing data from 16 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the researchers found compelling evidence supporting the use of gut-directed hypnotherapy. The review highlighted that between 40% and 81% of subjects experienced significant improvement in abdominal symptoms after undergoing hypnotherapy.

A key finding of this 2025 report is the cost-effectiveness and accessibility of the treatment:

“Group hypnotherapy frequently matches individual sessions in terms of efficiency.”

The study further noted that the treatment had a low dropout rate (pooled rate of 8.0%), indicating high patient tolerance. Beyond physical symptom relief, the therapy was associated with significant improvements in quality of life and reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms often comorbid with IBS. The report concludes that hypnotherapy should be considered a primary, effective, and tolerable intervention for IBS.