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4 Ways I Manage a Painful IBS Flare-Up

Unfortunately, IBS can be extremely painful. You have those moments where the cramping and abdominal pain are so intense, that all you can do is lay in the fetal position either in bed or on the bathroom floor. It’s terrible. It’s awful. It’s sometimes inevitable.

But what can we do to help us get through these hard and physically exhausting moments? Well here are some tips that I have come up with over the years of being diagnosed with IBS:

1. Heating pad

Use a heating pad and if you do not own one, buy one online now immediately. This tool is the holy grail and number one staple for anyone who deals with painful IBS.

Using a heating pad when you experiencing abdominal cramping and spasms can sometimes feel heavenly. It truly helps bring almost instant relief. And I will be honest, there are some moments where the heat doesn’t even touch the pain, but even still, there is something comforting about having the heat on your abdomen.

Also, you don’t just have to use the heating pad for your stomach. If you tend to get lower back pain, or side pain, the beauty of the heating pad is that you can apply it anywhere.

2. CBD oil

This had become such a great tool for me when it comes to IBS pain. In addition to IBS, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, so CBD oil is especially helpful for those with CD. However, even for IBS, CBD oil is great for reducing pain and helping with sleep. Sadly, we all know too well that when enduring a flare, pain and lack of sleep are at an all-time high and this oil helps aid both. I highly recommend speaking to your doctor about trying CBD oil, and if given the green light, I absolutely say go for it!

3. Essential oils

I am an avid essential oil user. I use essential oils daily at some sort of capacity. In this particular case, for IBS pain, I tend to grab 2 oils: Copaiba and Peppermint. Firstly, Copaiba is an essential oil akin to CBD oil. It is amazing at alleviating pain and inflammation.

When things get really bad and I am desperate for pain relief, I apply this oil on my abdomen in the way of a roller. This roller contains fractionated coconut oil and Copaiba oil. I roll the roller over my abdomen, and sometimes within seconds, I feel relief from the pain. The same goes with the Peppermint oil. If I am struggling with painful bloating, or spasms I apply this through a roller on my abdomen and find relief.

Just a side note, not all essential oils are made equally. I use expensive, high-quality therapeutic essential oils that are allowed to be applied topically. Most big-box store essential oils are not made of this quality and should never, ever be applied to the skin, so please do your research.

4. Hot tea/water

This doesn’t give a whole lot of pain relief but it does help a bit. I have found that if I drink warm tea or even just warm water, it helps alleviate pain in my stomach and abdomen.

How about you? Any tips you would like to add concerning natural pain management during an IBS flare? Share below!

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