Can Mind Power Cure Your Kid’s Tummy Troubles?
From the archive. This post was first published on the original Green Eggs and Moms blog and is kept here as it was.
Marcus Aurelius once said:
“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
Or maybe relief from chronic stomach pain or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
We’re pretty sure the great Roman emperor didn’t have stomach trouble in mind when he came up with this famous quote, but a recent study did find that hypnosis may be effective in providing long term relief from pesky tummy problems.
The Study
Researchers from the St. Antonius Hospital, Netherlands, studied 52 children who received 2 types of treatment for stomach pain and other tummy troubles: (a) hypnosis and (b) the standard method of changing one’s diet and increasing fiber intake.
Kids who received hypnotherapy had 6 sessions with a therapist and were also given CDs which enabled them to practice hypnosis at home.
The Findings
5 years later researchers found that 68% of those who went through hypnosis “were still largely free of abdominal pain,” according to the article from ModernMedicine.com. As for the other group? Only 20% of them we’re doing better.
Before you think of swinging pocket watches…
Listen up. Hypnosis techniques that relieve tummy trouble use what’s called guided imagery. Taking an example from the article, it’s imagining a flowing river which can aid in normalizing bowel functions.
So what’s the takeaway? While the study has yet to determine exactly why hypnosis works, it’s interesting to have a treatment out there that doesn’t rely on medication.
It also asserts the sheer power of the mind. Wouldn’t you want your children to learn from the benefits of positive thinking and visualization? Besides, a little “mind bending” can’t hurt.
What do you think of the study? Are you open to trying this with your children next time they complain of tummy trouble?
Photo:Creative Commons from Simon Strandgaard