Rubbing your tummy in bed
Sometimes when I go to bed I lay on my side and rub my tummy with my hand, and it helps soothe my IBS. I rub it from side or side or in a circular way, and it really helps get the wind moving and eases the wind pains. Like I'm a baby it helps me break wind.
Or I sometimes walk around the room rubbing my tummy, which also helps exercise my bowels and release a lot of trapped wind (those long loud types).
Does anyone else find these exercises help relieve IBS?
Yes, I do it too. Putting my hand to my tummy is instinctive, to soothe and protect. I think the warmth of our hand helps. Whenever I put a heating pad on my tummy for 1/2 to a whole hour, it always helps. Drinking hot water too, for the same reason. No need for a tea bag. I'll be interested to hear how others respond too 😀 Warmly (pun intended), Kim, moderator I find hot drinks makes me burp. I drank hot chocolate the other night, and then had a big bubble sitting in my chest, causing discomfort. But rubbing where the bubble was helped bring it out as a very chocolatey belch. (Yum?)
I'm glad you were able to get the bubble out. Like Kim, I personally also find hot drinks comforting and never have any issues with them. Do you get the same effect when you drink something soothing like herbal tea rather than hot chocolate?
Massing you belly is definitely something many of us do in one way or another to relieve discomfort. We even have an article about self-massage here: https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/self-massage-for-constipation, although it talks about constipation. Karina (team member)
I don't really like tea. Hot chocolate is good, as it gets my tummy gurgling and the gas moving along, but often causes a big bubble in my upper stomach that's difficult to release.
I just farted now, pardon me. Lol
lol! Yes, passing gas is just part of it isn't it. Have you tried chamomile tea? That's the only tea I really like and it is soothing on the gut. Glad you can enjoy hot chocolate. That is always such a treat. To relieve gas I use peppermint essential oil. It works so well, it's pretty miraculous in my opinion. -Elizabeth (team member)
I find rubbing my stomach the best treatment, as it's soothing. I take a peppermint or something like that during the day if I have indigestion but at night where I'm alone and resting I find my stomach likes a good gentle massage.
Last night I had a bit of a bubbly, upset tummy though. Well I woke up with it in the night. I had gone out for a Chinese and a couple of drinks with friends. I woke in the night with a bellyache and bad indigestion across my stomach and wanting to burp.
So I had to get up and take a peppermint (farting my way to the kitchen lol). Then I got back into bed and rubbed my stomach for a long while, although I had to keep sitting up to burp but at least the indigestion went off after a few burps.I think stomach massages are always helpful. It gets things moving and helps move gas bubbles. I also massage my stomach sometimes and usually it brings relief. I hope you are feeling well today. Best, Elizabeth (team member)
