Irritable bowel syndrome treatment

Irritable bowel syndrome – a typical problem

Around 30 to 45 million. That’s how many people in the USA struggle with irritable bowel syndrome. And unfortunately, you can’t get rid of it so quickly, because there are not really any medications against it. If you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, there are nevertheless some remedies that can make your life easier. We give you 5 practical tips on how you can relieve your symptoms naturally. Check out our irritable bowel syndrome treatment plan.

Irritable bowel syndrome treatment – what really helps

Tip 1:Heat for acute irritable bowel pain

Simple, but effective against pain is the good old hot water bottle. It keeps warm for a long time, so it is perfect for overnight use. A cherry stone pillow is an alternative, which does not keep warm as long, but adapts well to the body. In addition, you don’t have to worry about scalding yourself with boiling water. In both cases, you should not place your heat source directly on the painful area, but leave a layer of clothing in between to prevent burns. Heat not only has a pain-relieving effect, but also calms you down so that you can relax better.

Tip 2: Strengthen your gut

A large number of bacteria in our body are located in the intestines and are responsible for filtering nutrients from our food. If this so-called intestinal flora is attacked, irritable bowel syndrome can be the result. Therefore, it is important to strengthen your intestines with “good” bacteria. These so-called probiotics are found especially in yogurt or sauerkraut, but also in other foods. In addition, you can get probiotic food supplements in the pharmacy.

Tip 3: Keep a food diary

Do you know this? You have a bad stomach ache, but no idea why? Sometimes it has something to do with what you ate or what you did that day. Little sleep, stress at work, or your menstrual cycle can also be to blame for irritable bowel symptoms. That’s why it can help you to write all these things down. That way, you’ll know which foods can cause intestinal discomfort in certain situations and when they’re perfectly safe.

Tip 4: Relax with exercises

As already mentioned, stress is one of the triggers for irritable bowel syndrome. To prevent discomfort, you can therefore do yoga regularly or treat yourself to a massage with aromatic oil – this also works at home!

Tip 5: Create good eating habits

The diary helps you to determine which foods are good for you and which are harmful. But it’s not only about what you eat, but also how. Are you always on the go and always squeezing your meals in between checking emails and the next appointment? Or do you sometimes even completely forget that you haven’t eaten yet? These can also be triggers for irritable bowel syndrome. Especially with intestinal problems, it is important that you eat at fixed times of the day and take time for it. Especially at work, you should take time for a lunch break. Here we show you how to do this in a relaxed way. To avoid putting too much strain on your intestines, it’s important to chew thoroughly, and you can’t do that when you’re in a hurry. In general, it is also advisable to eat rather small meals, but several throughout the day. This way, your intestines don’t get the full load of work in one go.

Here’s what you should know about irritable bowel syndrome

The right irritable bowel diet

To get your bowels working, you should eat lots of whole grains. So especially whole grains and legumes, fruits and vegetables, and nuts. However, it’s important that you slowly increase the amount of fiber you eat to avoid getting abdominal cramps or bloating because your intestines have to process an unusual amount. Fermented or sugary foods such as wheat products, onions, soft bananas or cauliflower, on the other hand, can be difficult for the intestines to process. Therefore, you should reduce them or even eliminate them altogether. But here, too, it’s important to simply try out how your body reacts, because it’s a little different for everyone. How a healthy diet can look like, we show you here.

Diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome

The problem with irritable bowel syndrome is that it usually takes a long time before the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome is made. The cause of this abdominal pain is not visible from the outside, because neither colonoscopies nor laboratory tests show anything abnormal. Doctors therefore often initially suspect food intolerances or even colon cancer. To detect irritable bowel syndrome, they usually follow the so-called Rome III consensus. If the patient has suffered from abdominal pain for at least 3 days per month in the past 12 weeks and certain characteristics regarding bowel movements apply, irritable bowel syndrome is diagnosed.

Irritable bowel symptoms

As you can probably guess, irritable bowel syndrome mainly causes discomfort in the abdominal area and digestion. If you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, it often manifests itself in constipation, flatulence or diarrhea, but abdominal cramps and a bloated belly are also not atypical. But other complaints can also be caused by an irritated bowel, whereby it may be that you do not immediately notice the connection.

Irritable bowel back pain

What your intestines have to do with your back? Quite a lot! Anatomically, your intestines and spine are pretty close to each other. If your intestines are irritated, they may become thicker and press against your spine. Especially constipation can be the cause of back problems. If the visit to the orthopedist could not change anything about your back pain, we recommend you to check if there could be a connection between your intestinal problems and the back pain.

Irritable bowel fatigue

If you find yourself exhausted more often, it may also be related to irritable bowel syndrome. The constant intestinal problems are also stressful and you toss and turn in bed sleeplessly one night or another. The constant problems in the abdominal area are also a burden psychologically, which is why it may well be that your exhaustion is related to irritable bowel syndrome. Especially if you are often stressed, you should therefore consciously take time to calm down. This way, you will relieve irritable bowel symptoms and recover psychologically at the same time.

Practical home remedies for irritable bowel syndrome treatment

Apart from tips like heat and proper diet, there are also some herbs that you can use to brew a tea for irritable bowel symptoms. Peppermint is a well-known representative here, but also carmint, which is a mixture of green mint, lemon balm and coriander, is considered very effective because it relieves cramps and has a calming effect. Turmeric root is not only a super addition to various dishes because of its warm color and interesting taste, but it has an antibacterial effect on the irritated intestines. A simple remedy is also light exercise such as yoga, swimming or walking. Especially if stress or other psychological problems are the reason for irritable bowel, exercise can make you feel better through the endorphins released – a great irritable bowel syndrome treatment.

Is there an irritable bowel medication?

One thing to note: There is not THE one irritable bowel syndrome treatment. But some medications can help you relieve causes and symptoms. Antispasmodics or laxatives help with acute symptoms. Electrolytes and probiotic supplements help your gut get back to work. If your bowel symptoms are related to psychological problems, antidepressants may also help you. It is important that you take these medications in consultation with a doctor, who will then also check the effect and can help you further if there are side effects.

Conclusion

Although there is no perfect solution for irritable bowel syndrome, this is also good news: Many roads lead to Rome. Pick the tips that appeal to you the most or that you think might be the solution in your situation. And then you can experiment and try out what fits best into your daily life. It’s especially important to pay attention to how your body reacts, so you know what’s good for you and what makes the discomfort worse.