| Interventions |
Patients in the hypnotherapy group will receive 6 sessions of 50 minutes therapy over a 3-months period. The hypnotherapy-protocol used is based on the Manchester protocol of gut-directed hypnotherapy and will consist of general relaxation, visualisations aiming at control of abdominal pain, gut and immune functions, and ego-strengthening suggestions. Patients in the standard medical care group will receive standard care for IBS consisting of explanation of the cause and origin of the IBS-like complaints by their treating physician and reassurance that the complaints are not related to inflammatory bowel disease, cancer or other life threatening diseases. If considered necessary pain medications, spasmolytic agents, proton-pump inhibitors will be prescribed. Moreover, patients in this group will receive 6 half-hour sessions of supportive therapy over a 3-month period. In these sessions, given by the physician, symptoms of the previous weeks will be discussed and if possible, contributory triggers, such as dietary products, emotional problems, and stressful events, will be explored |