Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or ‘IBS’, is a disorder involving
a collection of symptoms that can include abdominal pain and cramping and
changes in bowel movements. IBS has no known cause, though can follow infection
of the intestines and periods of stress.
In this blog post I’m going to give some generalised
information and advice to make the subject easier to be understood.
IBS is heavily linked to stress, and there is masses of
research that clearly indicate the link between the two. Our cells and our
brain are always communicating in order to create homeostasis where the correct
environment is created for our cells to live. This is what maintains our body
temperature, our blood glucose and energy levels and everything we need to
sustain life. The intestine is connected to the brain in this way and the
signals between them affect bowel function and symptoms. Stress results in
communication causing the intestines to become more sensitive and contract
more, therefore creating, sustaining or increasing the ‘flare-ups’ of IBS.
The medical definition of ‘syndrome’ is a “set of symptoms occurring
together” or “a group of signs and symptoms that occur together and
characterise a particular abnormality”. There is often no pathology that can
connect the symptoms together and sometimes no pathology at all. This means
that one person’s IBS may be completely different to another person’s by way of
cause and actual symptoms. As a result of this I can only give general advice
as everyone with IBS has individual conditions and what approach may work for
one may not work for another. This last comment is accurate to diet changes,
supplements or drug approaches to dealing with IBS. For example some research
will say avoid high fibre diets whilst other research states the opposite.
Finding what diet changes work for you is most appropriate, and this may take
careful experimentation.
Some of your friends will tell you to take certain foods or
supplements to help, or avoid certain foods. Remember that it is your
condition, and your life. Ask yourself how your body digests these and the
resultant effects on the body. This way, should they work, you may find that
you can ‘generalise’ this knowledge and find more solutions.
There is a massive psychological effect on IBS. It is well
known and researched that stress exacerbates the symptoms of IBS, and may often
be the cause of some people’s symptoms. Create a calmer, more peaceful
lifestyle and the symptoms can be reduced considerably. Whereas I work to
control (on/off switch) and regulate (turning the dial) stress with
hypnotherapy there are a host of psychological approaches that can be used in
this respect.
Working with clients in hypnotherapy I often find that the
development of IBS is due to associated learning (Google ‘classical conditioning’).
This is where the mind and body have had a learning experience where the
symptoms of IBS are associated with a period of stress. I often find that
clients’ IBS starts at University, when they are eating and drinking ‘dodgy’
foods resulting in a sick stomach at the time of exam stress and pressure. The
two become linked, and, each time they get stressed, the mind goes “Hey! I
remember!” and creates the symptoms in the digestive system. By breaking the
association I have helped many people free themselves from IBS.
Sometimes the genesis of the IBS is not clear, or is a ‘by-product’
of another disease such as diverticulitis. This is a common digestive disease
where ‘pouches’ (diverticula) are formed in the bowel wall which may become inflamed
(giving the ‘itis’). Therefore diverticulitis is inflammation of the pouches. Symptoms
are in common with IBS together with the associated abdominal pains.
If you are experiencing pain with IBS there are several
approaches that can be utilised. It is worth remembering that ALL pain is
created in the brain and is a ‘perception’. As such pain is regulated and
controlled through the psych. This is how fighters and soldiers can ignore pain
at times of action (through ‘descending’ regulation) and how a confused signal
can reduce the experience of pain (through ‘efferent’ regulation).
The ‘subjective experience’ of pain, or the ‘perception’ of
pain, is also worst when negative emotions are present. Negative emotions cause
the body to tense up and close off, including changes such as constriction
within the digestive tract. This can exacerbate the symptoms of IBS. If the
negative emotions are regulated or associations are removed the person can live
happier, and reduce or remove the pain.
I use hypnotherapy to change peoples’ experience of pain –
after all, pain IS just in the mind. I often take people’s pain away in about a
minute of work at workshops and seminars, just to show I can do what I say I
can. Nothing ‘woo-woo’ or magical about it, it is just the application of
knowledge into the perception of pain. There are also many approaches to
resolving pain – hypnosis is just one delivery method.
So if you or someone you know has IBS what should you do?
Firstly I would suggest you educate yourself and gain
learning around the entire subject. Become an expert in it. As everyone’s IBS
is individual, you need to take the right advice and the right steps for YOU.
Knowledge is most definitely power in this respect. Everyone will give you an
opinion – you need to identify what is right for you. Look to the medical
research as to the efficacy of approaches – Google Scholar and Pubmed will be
your friends here. Question everything especially from doctors. Even question the
advice I am giving you now.
Secondly I would suggest that you get some psychological
help with the condition. I of course use hypnosis as my intervention delivery
method – yet there are many psychological approaches that can help. The right
approach will help you remove and reduce stress, lessen negative emotions,
manage any pain, and may just find a psychological origin to free you up from
IBS completely.
Thirdly don’t let it form your ‘identity’. Let yourself run
your life, not your IBS. You are still the same person. Remain that person.
I really do hope this blog post has helped you - IBS affects too many people. If you know someone who suffers from IBS please feel free to share to them.
