4 Ways I Manage a Painful IBS Flare-Up

By Elizabeth Alvarez

2 min read

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!

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The IrritableBowelSyndrome.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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ibsfrankly Member
Great advice for tummy cramps Elizabeth. I especially like your ideas on essential oils and on tea. Peppermint is my own favorite choice for both an oil and a tea. When taking peppermint as an oil I like to combine it with fennel oil or even ginger oil. When it comes to tea I prefer chamomile but I know for some it might make them a little drowsy. Have you ever tried yoga? There are certain yoga moves that can distract the cramping action while firming your tummy so that it will act more efficiently. Yoga has helped me reduce my symptoms in a number of ways. 
1. Elizabeth Alvarez Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="ibsfrankly" user-id="4165588"/> Oh yes! I love yoga. It's definitely another way to help with cramping. Do you practice it daily? I try my best but I'm lucky if I do it a couple of times a week. I need to do it more because I always feel great afterwards. Hugs, Elizabeth (team member)
onerenfro Member
Ice pack on my lower stomach helps me with IBS flare up's. I get real hot when my IBS acts in and found that an ice pack helps with that and the pain 
1. Michaela Contributor
 That's a great tip! I bet it feels really nice too. Thank you for sharing! Cheers, Michaela (irritablebowelsyndrome.net Team Member)
2. Michaela Contributor
 That's an awesome tip! I'm glad you have something that helps alleviate your symptoms. Thanks for sharing! Cheers, Michaela (irritablebowelsyndrome.net Team Member)
Debbiedar Member
I agree about the heat. I use a microwaveable heat pack because it is moist heat and I can get it a bit warmer. I apply Digest Ease by Edens garden essential oil with a carrier oil rolled on my stomach first before the heat. I take Pepto-Bismol if the discomfort is bad. My Dr. came me an rx for Dicyclomine, which is a sub for Bentyl , to take before I eat to prevent cramps, but I don’t take it often because I found it can contribute to constipation. I take DGL licorice twice a day, morning and dinner time,after I eat that helps. Dr.said new study showed that MagnesiumOx 400 mg., 3 at night has been tested and reported to help in almost 90% of IBS-C. That was way too much for me, so start at one. You can get it at Walmart. I had previously had a test done through Thryve for what bacteria showed up in stool sample. They then made a custom probiotic for me. I was tested for food intolerances, so now I am also aware of thing to be aware of when I eat. CBD oil is beneficial as well, and where it is legal, adding the THC to the CBD helps with the pain in a bad attack. A lot of grease isn’t good for me either. I will say, after all this, I find my attacks are less frequent and not as bad. I hope you can fine something in this list info. That helps you!
1. Elizabeth Alvarez Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="Debbiedar" user-id="2281982"/> Excellent tips! Thank you for sharing what has brought you relief, it's so important to share as we are all different. Glad to see you have a lot of tools up your sleeve to help you get through the discomfort. I hope you are well today. Big hugs, Elizabeth (team member)