(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A professor studying hypnotherapy to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) says the technique significantly improved symptoms in nine out ten patients. 

Professor Roland Valori, editor of Frontline Gastroenterology, says hypnosis puts the mind in a relaxed state which eases stress and anxiety, two big contributors to gastrointestinal problems. He found hypnotherapy not only eases the symptoms of IBS but can clear up symptoms completely in some patients.

It is estimated that about 20 percent of the population suffers from the uncomfortable and sometimes embarrassing condition. IBS is a functional bowel disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits that has no detectable cause.

Excluding certain foods from the diet may help alleviate symptoms, but experts say this is usually only a temporary fix. Dietary measures do not tackle the main cause of the symptom, which is an overly sensitive gut.

Source: British Medical Journal, March 2010