Irritable bowel syndrome: cognitive therapy, beneficial effects

Four sessions of cognitive therapy would provide a 70% improvement of symptoms related to irritable bowel syndrome (or functional bowel disorders), according to a study presented in a conference on digestive diseases, which s is held in Los Angeles.
Dr. Jeffrey Lackner University of New York at Buffalo and his colleagues selected 59 patients with irritable bowel syndrome and were divided into three treatment groups.

Patients in the first group received ten sessions of standard behavioral therapy. Patients in the second group received four sessions of cognitive therapy and left with an accompanying booklet for home. Those in the third group remained on the waiting list. Follow-up visits were used to assess symptoms 4 and 10 weeks later.

He was asked to tell patients how they manageaient their fears, worries and anxiety, stress factors known to aggravate digestive disorders.

At the end of the study, gastrointestinal symptoms were improved by nearly 73% in patients who received cognitive therapy, whereas no improvement was observed in the groups of patients placed on waiting list . The pain also decreased by 73% in the "cognitive therapy" and "standard behavioral therapy", versus 11.8% in the third group.

Gastrointestinal disorders have continued to improve by about 63.6% and 68.4% respectively after 4 weeks and 10 weeks, depending on the expected duration of therapy (first and second group). Quality of life also seemed better in these two groups.