Pain killers were masking my symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) for years. Here is why and how I have managed to find pain relief without pills. I had gotten into the habit of taking them at the first sign of pain. I had no idea that the pills were actually causing me more discomfort overall.
Constipation is a common side effect of pain medication. I now know that when I experience a cramp, that is my body telling me it is having trouble digesting something. My gut wants to get it out, but the pain pills prevented that. What would follow was sometimes days of discomfort as my gut was battling this out.
I had no idea that there are different forms of IBS. IBS with Constipation (IBS-C), IBS with Diarrhea (IBS-D), and mixed type (IBS-M). In my naivety, having IBS didn’t even cross my mind. My symptoms were all over the place, in part due to pain killers.
As part of my commitment to health, I have made several changes to my lifestyle (see Lifestyle Changes for a Healthy Gut for more). One change I made was to give up pain medication so that I could get more in tune with my body. I have since gained an enormous understanding of how my body works, what it needs, and what it is capable of.
I still experience pain but have built up tools (mostly free) for naturally managing it without pills. I hope these can bring you some relief too.
Heat
Starting with the basics, applying heat is my first step. This could be a hot water bottle, heat pad, or even tiger balm on the site of pain.
A moxa heat pack (available online) contains natural ingredients that create a thermal reaction. These can get really hot and provide heat for over 12 hours. I have found these to be ideal when I am managing pain on the move.
Bath
I never used to be a bath person, but I am a total convert now. On my worst gut days, this is one of the few things that will get me out of bed. From there, I can continue on into the rest of my day.
For cramps, I add two cups (~400 g) of Epsom salts to a warm bath. An Epsom salt soak may help to ease muscle pain and swelling. The heat alone provides relief for inflammation and aches.
Rest
I am able to handle pain better if I am well rested. The body heals itself while sleeping so getting sufficient sleep is essential.
The change that has improved my life most is waking naturally. Waking without an alarm is not feasible for all people all the time. However, the benefits are enormous when it can be centered as a priority.
Being in pain can be tiring. If my schedule permits, I usually a take a nap when I hit a wall. It almost always helps reduce pain and gives me an energy boost.
Hydration & Eating
Drinking plenty of water is a vital part of recovery. It helps flush toxins and relieves muscle tension. If I have IBS cramps, water helps speed up my digestion as well.
When experiencing strong IBS cramps and often nausea, the last thing I feel like doing is eating. However, this is one thing that is guaranteed to get my digestion moving. I eat safe low FODMAP food and stick to a regular meal schedule, and the pain always passes.
Movement
Gentle, easy movement can really help me to relieve pain. When I do feel really drained, this can feel like a bit of a struggle, but it always helps.
I take a slow walk, do stretches or even some higher intensity short bursts if I can manage it. The increased blood flow speeds up my digestion and recovery.
When in pain, especially with cramps, I often feel quite vulnerable and low. Yoga gives me an emotional lift, fresh perspective, presentness, and relief. Yoga with Adriene videos are my go to and she has many videos for relieving pain.
Meditation
Illness is not the enemy, nor is it your identity, as Eckhart Tolle said. Fighting symptoms of a condition linked to my identity, is fighting myself. Enhancing presentness through meditation has helped me to decouple illness and self.
Instead of fighting pain, acceptance and presentness, can help it disperse. There are many good guided meditations to manage pain, either on apps or YouTube, that I have found helpful.
TENS Machine
A TENS machine is a small unit that generates mild electrical current through pads applied to the skin. It can be used for pain relief and has a variety of applications, including stomach cramps.
These are one-off affordable items that are well worth having. I got my TENS 7000 online for ~$30/~£20. It is cheap, easy, and highly effective at reducing pain.
Higher-frequency and higher-pulse width TENS settings seem to be best for pain relief. But information on the internet can vary. Seek out advice from a medical professional to find the best use of a TENS machine for your needs.
Acupuncture
I was skeptical of the benefits of acupuncture at first. It is thought that the needles stimulate the nervous system to release healing chemicals. Studies have shown that it has benefits of pain relief and aiding digestive issues.
After a treatment, I sleep well, have reduced pain, less stress, and feel better. It could be the simple art of doing something for myself or the still time during treatment that brings about these benefits. Either way, it works for me.
Acupuncture is not cheap and will not be for everyone. But if it is something you have ever been curious about and it is an available resource to you, then it may be worth trying.
