You may be experiencing your IBS getting worse over time, and be wondering why. Will it get better, or will it become something more sinister? Here is what is happening, and what you can do about it.
Why is my IBS getting worse
It’s a classic. You find some treatment, or diet, or herbs, or exercise that improves your IBS symptoms. It works beautifully for a while – until it doesn’t any more. Back to the drawing board!
There’s nothing more frustrating. You start asking yourself questions like “What did I do wrong?” And there’s nothing that will sap your morale more.
Why does IBS get worse over time? To understand what is happening, you need to understand how IBS really works.
IBS works like this
The reason you even have IBS is that your body has been gradually experiencing more and more tension. This can be due to the way you feel about how were brought up, your parents and siblings, your environment, your experience of school, your experience of work and/or your relationships.
You may not feel the tension because it has been there for as long you can remember – but if you have IBS, it is there.
Your body can deal with quite a high level of tension. But at some point the tension became regular or really high, and your body had a tough time compensating.
This is where your IBS kicked in.
Your IBS is like a warning light saying “you’re going too far”.
The problem is, we don’t really know what to do about it. Generally doctors and specialists do not understand that your body is reflecting the need to discover and address the IBS triggers that are keeping your IBS in motion. Those trigger situations that rattle your nervous system every time you run into them, creating overload and IBS symptoms. That’s where your IBS can get worse.
Can IBS get worse over time? And stay worse?
Well it can do – but by the end of this article, you will know how to avoid that. As you continue to try to block out the signs of overload and keep going as usual, your body gets even more overloaded.
That’s why any solution that helps the body rebalance can bring some relief in the short term. However it can’t become a permanent solution if it doesn’t address the triggers and root causes of your IBS.
As your body gets more and more overloaded, it can become more and more sensitive. I became sensitive to more and more foods, but also chemicals like perfume, nail varnish, air fresheners (found in many toilets!) and paint.
I actually started developing Fibromyalgia, and wondered what would be next. That was scary.
My body was yelling at me to find a solution. But I had no clue what else to do to get better.
Maybe you can relate.
One thing you can start today
Now you know that the pile up of tension is what is making your body react, the first step is to do anything you can to start bringing it down. This is key if you don’t want your IBS to start getting worse.
You could saying “no” more often to things you don’t really want to do, and take more time to let yourself unwind.
Why not use the remaining summer evenings just to sit outside and relax – and do nothing. Even for 5 minutes.
You could decide to give up watching certain things on TV that tense you up, or bring your mood down. And find something more soothing instead.
Stretching is a great habit to adopt to help your body release a certain amount of tension. The pelvic curl is another great way (and you can even do it in bed!) Deep breathing can help you too, when you feel tension rising. And maybe drinking less coffee. It all adds up.
Perhaps the time has come to have a close look at your priorities, what is causing you tension in your life, and seeing what needs to change for you to feel less tension or overwhelm.
Maybe deep down you are really ready to change job. Even if you don’t even know where to start, ask yourself the question “How can I…” You could be surprised by what that opens up.
If you want to fast-track and release your IBS triggers altogether, why not work with me?
Take my word for it. Life is much more fun without IBS! And I never would have thought I would be able to break free.
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