Do you suffer from indigestion, heartburn or other problems after eating? Some interesting news from Manchester may give you some relief. Hypnosis for heartburn and indigestion !

A team of medical researchers from Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester discovered that a group of patients with indigestion were able to get more relief from hypnotherapy than another group who were taking a standard drug treatment.

In the research, a group of 126 patients with Functional Dyspepsia were offered hypnotherapy, acid-suppressant drugs or counselling with a medical physician. They completed a 16 week course of treatment and were then followed up for 40 weeks. Of those in the hypnotherapy group, 73% said their symptoms had improved compared to 34% of those given counselling and 43% of those given drug therapy.

Amazingly, none of the hypnotherapy patients needed medication after their treatment and they also needed fewer doctor visits.

The same team had previously shown that hypnotherapy can be effective in treating the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome but have now discovered that hypnotherapy treatment also works the same for functional dyspepsia which is a form of indigestion which causes symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and feelings of fullness.

The National Council for Hypnotherapy connects members of the general public with professional, skilled hypnotists throughout the UK who are qualified to help with a wide range of issues such as stopping smoking, weight loss and anxiety. A spokesperson from the company said:

“The results from this research present some interesting findings and another way hypnotherapy can help treat physical conditions. Hypnosis is already known to help treat IBS, eczema, acne and psoriasis and now from the looks of this research it can also help with indigestion. Many physical conditions can be intensified by underlying stress or anxiety, but hypnosis could help you deal with this and in turn nullify the symptoms.”

As well as working in my hypnotherapy practice I also keep my hand in at several other skills that help to give me a great deal of variety in my working life. It keeps me fresh and in touch with lots of other people and places and ideas.

Having spent many years working in radio for the BBC presenting daily shows, I still like to do the occasional show, and often find myself back on the airwaves (although more often than not it's internet and DAB radio now !)

I recently interviewed Ian Prowse when I was on the BBC Midlands Late Show, and Ian told me all about his life and his career in franchising and business. Often when interviewing people in business they can come across as quite forceful and a little full on. The great thing about Ian is that he actually comes across as a kind and thoughtful person. This shows that you can be in business and not just be thinking about yourself ! I know, surprising eh!

If you missed the interview here is a chance to have a listen, from stories of his video rental business to his plans to change the way that people network in the future, I am sure you will find it an entertaining listen.