Functional Abdominal Pain: "Get" the Function, Loose the Pain
1a Private Practice , Bala Cynwyd , Pennsylvania , USA.
The American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis
|June 6, 2015
Summary
Functional abdominal pain is a complex mind-body condition. Hypnosis, mindfulness, and Traditional Chinese Medicine offer self-regulation strategies for managing symptoms and improving quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Psychosomatic Medicine
- Gastroenterology
- Mind-Body Medicine
Background:
- Functional abdominal pain (FAP) is a significant psychosocial and self-reinforcing condition impacting patients and their support networks.
- Unpredictable symptom severity in FAP can lead to dread, loss of control, and reduced daily functioning.
- Early life stress and gastrointestinal somatization in childhood may predict persistent FAP into adulthood.
Observation:
- This article presents two composite clinical cases of FAP, focusing on abdominal pain syndrome and abdominal migraines.
- The cases illustrate the application of hypnotic principles for self-regulation, exploration, and meaning-making in FAP management.
- Treatment integrates hypnosis with mindfulness-based interventions and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) principles for abdominal health.
Findings:
- Hypnotic principles facilitate self-regulation, exploration, and meaning-making in patients with FAP.
- A multimodal approach combining hypnosis, mindfulness, and TCM shows promise in managing FAP.
- Clinical examples suggest FAP may not resolve spontaneously in childhood, potentially persisting into adulthood.
Implications:
- Mind-body interventions like hypnosis can be effective in managing complex functional abdominal pain.
- Integrating complementary therapies like TCM with conventional approaches may enhance FAP treatment outcomes.
- Understanding the long-term trajectory of FAP is crucial for timely and effective interventions, particularly for those with early-life stress.
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