Photo Credit: Piotr Marcinski / istockphoto.com
4. Menstruation
Most cases of IBS are diagnosed in young adult women, and some research papers support the fact that menstrual pain can make IBS symptoms worse. Although the exact mechanism is not known, scientists suggest that some cells from the digestive tract have receptors for the female hormones estrogen and progesterone, and therefore changes in the hormone levels may cause IBS symptoms.
If you suffer from menstrual pain, talk to your doctor and get it treated. Painful menstruation can be also managed with heating pads and drinking chamomile tea. Keeping healthy levels of vitamin D and acupuncture treatments have also been found to be beneficial to improve menstrual cramps. Enjoying a healthy sex life and having regular orgasms can also help, because the endorphins released during sex are natural painkillers.
Resources
Stanford Healthcare (The Low FODMAP Diet)Medical Daily: Menstrual Cramps (6 Home Remedies)MedicineNet.com (IBS Triggers and Prevention)National Center for Biotechnology Information (Intervention to increase physical activity in irritable bowel syndrome shows long-term positive effects)
We go over the differences between irritable bowel syndrome vs inflammatory bowel syndrome so you know what to expact from diagnosis to treatment.
