'Stress releases hormones that can negatively impact the gut,' she says. 'Chronic stress can cause an imbalance of the gut's bacteria and be a key factor in a person developing IBS. ' Stress and major life traumas are known to worsen IBS symptoms.
When you're feeling stressed, nervous, or upset, your colon will spasm. These spasms can make you experience stomach cramps and discomfort that trigger your IBS symptoms. Cortisol can also affect the levels of good bacteria in your gut to cause IBS.
Although psychological problems like anxiety don't cause the digestive disorder, people with IBS may be more sensitive to emotional troubles. Strong emotions like stress, anxiety, and depression trigger chemicals in the brain that turn on pain signals in your gut that may cause your colon to react.
Reduce stress
Pain is also an emotional experience, so relaxation techniques, mindfulness, and stress reduction techniques may help improve quality of life for people with uncomfortable symptoms of IBS.
Generally, a flare up of irritable bowel syndrome can last from a few hours to several days. However, it is not uncommon for some people to experience symptoms for weeks or even longer. Factors such as stress, diet, medication, and lifestyle can all contribute to the length and severity of an IBS flare up.
There is evidence suggesting psychological factors play an important role in IBS, this is due to the link that exists between the brain and gut, often called the 'gut-brain connection'. In some people, the gut-brain connection can trigger or worsen symptoms such as diarrhoea, constipation and nausea.
Some antidepressants can also help treat pain from IBS. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like sertraline (Zoloft) and fluoxetine (Prozac) are commonly used to treat anxiety disorders, but they could be helpful for people with anxiety and IBS.
Refined sugar, fructose and the sugar substitute sorbitol are all common triggers. Chocolate is also a common trigger. Besides avoiding these foods, you should also avoid overeating, drink plenty of water and try eating lots of soluble fiber.
Several personality traits and constructs, such as neuroticism, conscientiousness, and alexithymia, are closely associated with IBS.
IBS can develop after a severe bout of diarrhea caused by bacteria or a virus. This is called gastroenteritis. IBS might also be associated with a surplus of bacteria in the intestines (bacterial overgrowth). Early life stress.
Many studies show that stressful life events are associated with the onset of symptoms, or worsening of symptoms, in several digestive conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and peptic ulcer disease.
Researchers have found that mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches like cognitive defusion are helpful for people with painful IBS symptoms. This is because ruminating about the frustrations of IBS can aggravate your symptoms further.
Probiotics have also proven beneficial in IBS patients by slowing down the transit time of the colon, reducing the average number of bowel movements per day, improving stool consistency, overall symptoms, and above all, the quality of life in these patients.
About 50–90% of IBS patients also have associated psychiatric ailments; most commonly anxiety disorders and depression.
While symptoms can be effectively managed, IBS is not considered to be a reversible or curable disorder.
stomach pain or cramps – usually worse after eating and better after doing a poo. bloating – your tummy may feel uncomfortably full and swollen. diarrhoea – you may have watery poo and sometimes need to poo suddenly. constipation – you may strain when pooing and feel like you cannot empty your bowels fully.
While there's no cure for IBS, it is a treatable condition that can be managed with hypnotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based treatments, antidepressants, or elimination diets such as the low FODMAP diet. Similarly, anxiety treatments also include CBT, hypnotherapy, and antidepressants.
Reduce your processed food intake, cut down on alcohol, caffeine & free sugar or fatty foods. Focus instead on including foods in a natural state. Eat lots of vegetables, whole grains, fruits and proteins from either beans / pulses, or fish and meats.