Many people assume that physical therapy is only for serious injuries, but it’s also an important tool for managing chronic health conditions. IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, is a common but frustrating condition that can have a huge impact on a person’s life. Physical therapy South Jersey can help reduce IBS flare-ups in conjunction with dietary changes and medications.
IBS Explained
Doctors aren’t sure what exactly causes IBS, but it affects somewhere around 15% of the entire population. Women are more likely to develop IBS than men, and in most people, symptoms begin before age 35.
Possible causes of IBS could be a disorder of the nerves in the intestine, bacterial imbalances or poor rhythms of muscle contractions inside the digestive system. It can cause issues with passing stool and overall uncomfortable or painful digestion.
Signs You Have IBS
Many people with IBS have mild symptoms and may not realize the cause of their indigestion. Others may have severe symptoms that flare and recede over time. Here are a few common signs that you have IBS:
- Frequent constipation
- Diarrhea
- Bloating
- Abdominal pain
- Stomach or intestinal cramps
Many IBS sufferers have worse symptoms in times of high stress, such as a hard day at work, extended traveling or during social events. If you frequently scope out public bathrooms because of your unpredictable digestive symptoms, you may have IBS.
Physical Therapy For IBS
Unfortunately, there is no cure for IBS, as it is a chronic condition. There are, however, several ways that trained professionals in physical therapy jobs near me can help reduce the severity of IBS symptoms.
Stress Relief
The digestive system ties in closely with the body’s nervous system. Intestines are full of nerves that respond to adrenaline and other hormones. Adrenaline triggers the fight-or-flight response, which diverts resources from digestion and puts it towards muscles, increased heart rate and faster breathing. This can make IBS symptoms worse.
Stress is an unavoidable part of life. The good news is that you can train your body to leave fight-or-flight mode more easily. Calming exercises and breaths can activate your sympathetic nervous system and restore bloodflow to your intestines.
Pelvic Floor Therapy
The pelvic floor is a series of muscles that forms a net at the base of your pelvis. Healthy pelvic floors can stretch and loosen. Cramping and pushing from constipation can make your pelvic floor tight, inflexible and painful. A physical therapist can help you stretch and strengthen the pelvic floor to reduce pain while passing stool.
Pain Management
Other pain management techniques can help you manage severe IBS symptoms. Dry needling is similar to acupuncture and uses needles tp treat badly knotted muscles. Digestive cramping can cause many muscles around the intestines to bunch up, and inserting a needle into these trigger points can bring them back to a relaxed state.
Physical therapy can also manage pain conditions that tend to occur in tandem with IBS, such as fibromyalgia. Starting a gentle exercise regimen can help with nerve pain, and experienced physical therapy jobs NJ can help you get started.
Medication and diet can both manage IBS symptoms but don’t underestimate how much a good physical therapist can help.
