How can I treat IBS on my own?

Some common at-home treatments for IBS include relaxation exercises, hypnotherapy, physical activity, dietary changes, applying heat, and consuming peppermint oil or other supplements (such as prebiotics and probiotics).

Can I live a normal life with IBS?

IBS is a complex, long-standing illness which is often difficult to diagnose and debilitating to live with. Through a better understanding of the potential triggers, whether linked to diet, lifestyle, stress or other factors, and knowing therapies and changes to make, people can live well with the condition.

Does IBS get worse with age?

The most common symptoms were constipation, back pain, headache, and fatigue. The study was published in the Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility. Although it has been assumed that IBS decreases with aging, experts estimated that about 10 percent of elderly people are affected.

Why is IBS so painful?

In IBS, signals that arise in the bowels are relayed to certain areas of the brain where these signals are experienced as painful sensations, which can be modified by emotional centers that can produce a more noxious, or emotionally distressing, quality.

How can I control my IBS symptoms?

Try to:

Experiment with fiber. Fiber helps reduce constipation but also can worsen gas and cramping.
Avoid problem foods. Eliminate foods that trigger your symptoms.
Eat at regular times. Don’t skip meals, and try to eat at about the same time each day to help regulate bowel function.
Exercise regularly.

Can you have IBS symptoms everyday?

Some people can go for weeks or months with no symptoms. Others may experience daily symptoms. Further, while IBS is often chronic, when followed after several years, about a third of people no longer have IBS.

How long do IBS symptoms usually last?

The symptoms of IBS are usually worse after eating. Most people will experience a ‘flare-up’ of symptoms, lasting between 2-4 days, after which the symptoms improve, or disappear altogether.