People withirritable bowel syndrome (IBS)don’t usually get relief from taking one simplemedication, as people often do for other health issues. Instead, various strategies are needed to reduce IBSsymptoms. Self-care remedies like applying heat, drinking tea, and using relaxation techniques may be able to relieve your IBS symptoms immediately, while others may provide more long-term relief.
There are quite a few approaches you can take, and everyone dealing with IBS is different. Some of these treatments and tips may work better for you than others. You might even benefit from a unique mix of strategies.
This article offers some ideas on how to manage IBS symptoms. Along with your healthcare provider’s suggestions, these tips may help you to find some relief from the everydaypains of IBS.
1. Use Heat
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Applying heat to your belly may be able to help ease abdominal pain.There are two soothing options here: a heating pad or a hot water bottle. Each of them offers a different advantage. A heating pad provides heat that is a little stronger than that of a hot water bottle. However, a hot water bottle is safe to use while you sleep.
Either option is simple. Just place the pad or bottle on the part of your tummy that feels the worst. In both cases, be sure to protect your skin with a layer or two of clothing to prevent burns.
There are psychological benefits to the warmth. Better still, research suggests that external heat can provide pain relief.
2. Sip a Soothing Tea
Like your warm heating pad, a cup of herbal tea provides some much-needed soothing. However, herbal teas bring something else to the table.
Several types of herbal tea have long been used to ease digestive symptoms:
3. Try Probiotics
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Some people report that the use ofprobioticshas helped them with IBS. These “friendly” microorganism strains work to balance the bacteria within the gut. The strain with the most research support to date isBifidobacterium infantis.
However, the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) recommends against the use ofprobiotics for IBS symptoms. This is primarily due to a lack of high-quality research on the subject. It also reflects the difficulty in determining the specific effects of different probiotic strains.
Before taking a supplement, consider adding more probiotic foods to your diet. Fermented foods are a good source of probiotics.Processing fermented foods can kill the probiotics, so look for active or live cultures on the labels of the following types of food:
If you think probiotics might be right for you, discuss the pros and cons with your healthcare provider.
The Surprising Health Benefits of Fermented Foods
4. Learn Your Trigger Foods
Sometimes you can eat something and be perfectly fine. Yet on another day, that same food has you doubled over in pain. It can be a mystery as to why.
A food diary is one way to help take some of the uncertainty out of your symptoms. It can track what you’re eating, how you’re feeling, and any other circumstances that may have influenced your IBS symptoms. This record may help you to identify any patterns you are not aware of.
Simply keep a written account of what foods you are eating along with other factors, such as sleep, stress, or your period. It doesn’t have to be extensive—just quick notes on what may contribute to IBS distress will do.
Trigger foods with IBS include:
How You Can Keep a Food Diary
5. Try an IBS-Friendly Diet
The foods that you eat can contribute to the problem. There are two main ways to identify your IBS trigger foods:
There are also certain foods that can lead to, or ease, specific IBS symptoms. It can do wonders for your everyday health and well-being to learn which foods contribute to—or relieve—gas, constipation, and diarrhea.
How and when you eat may also affect your symptoms. Some specific strategies for IBS-friendly eating habits include:
The Worst Trigger Foods for IBS
6. Slowly Increase Your Fiber Intake
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Many people with IBS are unnecessarily afraid of fiber. They fear that it will make their symptoms worse. Dietary fiber, which can be found in fruits, vegetables, and grains, is actually essential to keep your digestive system working at its best.
The ACG recommends increasing your intake of soluble but not insoluble fiber.Soluble fiberdissolves easily in water, while insoluble fiber does not. Common sources of soluble fiber include oats, peas, apples, beans, and citrus fruits.
For people with sensitive digestive systems, like those with IBS, it is important to increase fiber intake very slowly so that your colon has time to adjust.
When it comes to fiber, there are two more things to keep in mind. First, beware ofbran. Many people with IBS say it irritates their systems. Second, when boosting your fiber intake, consider starting with low-FODMAP fruits and vegetables, and those high in soluble fiber.
7. Be Physically Active
Physical activity can have a number of health benefits. Getting enough exercise can help improve IBS symptoms like fatigue and low energy. Keeping up an exercise routine for 12 weeks or more may even start to have a positive effect on cognitive symptoms like depression and anxiety.
The recommendation for adults is 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, plus two days of muscle strengthening. You could break it up into 30 minutes of brisk walking five days a week plus muscle-strengthening activities for your major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms).
8. Learn Relaxation Exercises
There are three basic types of exercises: visualization, deep breathing, and muscle relaxation.
If you need help getting started, check your local community for classes or workshops—or find an online guide. Try out different types to see which works best for you.
9. Care for Your Mental Health
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Let’s face it: IBS is stressful and often serves to make symptoms worse.
There is no need to go it alone. One good option is an online IBS support group, which can easily be found on standalone websites or social media sites.
Another option is to seek out a qualified mental health therapist for symptom relief. Two forms of therapy, in particular, have research support for their effectiveness in reducing IBS symptoms—cognitive behavioral therapyand hypnotherapy.
Therapy targets the connections between outside stressors, your brain, and your gut. In addition, working with a good therapist can help you to better deal with the stress and disruptive nature of IBS.
10. Try a Massage
Massaging your abdomen may help when you need immediate IBS symptom relief. A stomach massage can help with bloating and constipation. It can also reduce abdominal discomfort while improving digestive function. Be gentle when massaging your stomach. Vigorously massaging your abdomen could cause damage to internal organs.
How to Quickly Ease Stomach Pain From IBS
When to See a Healthcare Provider
If modifying your diet and managing stress isn’t giving you the IBS relief you’ve been looking for, consider talking to your healthcare provider about medication options.
The following symptoms are not characteristic of IBS. If you have any of these, contact a healthcare provider:
What Is the Best OTC Medicine for IBS?The best OTC medicine for IBS varies depending on your symptoms. For constipation, a laxative can help increase bowel function. For diarrhea, an antidiarrheal like Imodium (loperamide) is often used to slow down gut transit. Peppermint oil can help relieve other IBS symptoms and pain.
What Is the Best OTC Medicine for IBS?
The best OTC medicine for IBS varies depending on your symptoms. For constipation, a laxative can help increase bowel function. For diarrhea, an antidiarrheal like Imodium (loperamide) is often used to slow down gut transit. Peppermint oil can help relieve other IBS symptoms and pain.
Summary
People who deal with IBS symptoms have many available options that may help to reduce discomfort and improve quality of life. Some self-care remedies are simple measures, like using heat or sipping tea to be more comfortable. Others focus on stress and relaxation techniques.
A number of the strategies focus on foods and how you eat. A food diary will help you to track what you eat and the symptoms you experience. Diet changes, like adding fiber or eliminating the FODMAP foods that trouble you, may go a long way to improve your gut health.
If you have concerns about IBS symptoms, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider.
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