Pilot Study of a Self-Administered Hypnosis Intervention for Functional Dyspepsia

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Psychosomatic Medicine
• Digital Health

Background:

• Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a chronic upper gastrointestinal disorder with limited effective treatment options.
• Current therapies for FD often fall short in providing substantial relief.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of an automated gut-directed hypnosis intervention delivered via audio recordings for FD.
• To evaluate the impact of this intervention on FD symptoms and patient well-being.

Main Methods:

• 23 FD patients accessed bi-weekly audio hypnosis sessions online over 3 months.
• Symptom severity, quality of life, visceral sensitivity, and psychological distress were assessed pre-, mid-, post-treatment, and at follow-up.

Main Results:

• 96% completed the program; significant improvements were observed in dyspepsia severity, quality of life, and psychological distress.
• 68% of completers reported symptom improvement.
• Improvements correlated with baseline symptom severity and psychological distress.

Conclusions:

• A fully automated hypnosis audio program is feasible and effective for improving FD symptoms and well-being.
• This intervention shows potential as an adjunctive therapy for FD.
• Further research via randomized controlled trials is warranted.