Abdominal Pain and IBS

One symptom that is commonly associated with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) is abdominal pain. Mild to severe cramps are one of many problems that you may be experiencing. For some, this particular symptom may be more dominant than others. By knowing why this abdominal pain occurs, as well as what you can do about it, you may be able to help minimize the affects that IBS is having on your life.

Abdominal pain and cramping can be associated with IBS or maybe a symptom caused by another illness. If you are trying to determine whether you have IBS or not, this is an important point to consider. The pain that you are having may be from another syndrome or problem and should be looked at before reaching any conclusions.

The pain might not be noticed through X-rays or lab results, making it essential for you to speak to your doctor about the cause of your pain and discomfort. Identifying the cause of your pain is not necessarily identifying IBS as a problem, it could be associated with another type of illness.

The major reason behind abdominal pain is due to the nerves that move from the brain to the gut. The impulses are caused from stress or some imbalance from the nerves. When they reach the abdomen, it will then cause considerable cramping or pain. This gastrointestinal symptom can be severe enough to not allow you or your digestive system to function normally.

There are several psychological reasons that may be related to you experiencing this abdominal pain. If one has experienced a trauma or dramatic event either recently or in the past, it can cause the nerves in the brain to react. If the body is unable to express this trauma in another way, it will end up causing problems in the abdominal area (i.e., pain or cramping). Eventually, this pain becomes hypersensitive and can cause reactions from the nerves.

One way to solve abdominal pains is to begin noticing how you are reacting to events in your life as well as when the flares occur. You can then begin recording your reactions to events and notice how the cramping happens. From here, you will be able to identify the need to relax so that the nerves connected from your brain to your gut allow for smoother transitions during the day without the affects of dramatic events getting in the way. Medications can help minimize the cramping and pain until the source of the problem has been identified.