Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Periods: A Painful Duo

What is irritable bowel syndrome?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS ) is a chronic disease associated with disorders in the functioning of the large and small intestines. It is not dependent on organic or biochemical changes. Its main symptoms are most often bothersome abdominal pain and disrupted bowel movements, which significantly reduce the quality of life, force sudden changes in plans and cause a general decrease in well-being, and sometimes, unfortunately, also self-esteem (diarrhea and constipation are not very sexy topics after all). If you have noticed disturbing symptoms that last at least 3 months and often intensify around your period, a doctor is definitely someone you should think about now.

And now I'll start with the bad news: IBS is an incurable disease. Fortunately, I also have two good ones: proper treatment can significantly alleviate the symptoms, and the disease itself does not lead to any serious health consequences.

Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

First, remember that this condition is not caused by any type of infection. It should also not be confused with irritable bowel syndrome (which is easy to do because of the similar name). When it comes to pinpointing the causes, unfortunately, this is where the problem arises. Despite the fact that so many people suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, specialists have not yet been able to definitively determine what exactly affects it.

To make a diagnosis of IBS, we should exclude organic causes, such as: infections, food intolerances, hormonal disorders, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases and cancer.

There are many indications that the symptoms may have a psychological basis. Proponents of this theory believe that the colon functions in many ways quite similarly to the brain. This means that it has the ability to receive stimuli such as stress or anxiety and actively respond to them - hence digestive problems such as cramps, abdominal pain, gas and other digestive tract ailments.

Some people also blame genes.

IBS Symptoms: How to Recognize the Disorder?

The symptoms of IBS can be very diverse, but most of them are related to the improper functioning of the digestive tract. For this reason, the main symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are: persistent abdominal pain, a feeling of incomplete bowel movement, diarrhea or - conversely - constipation, abdominal bloating, accumulation of gas in the intestines, nausea, vomiting and heartburn. Sometimes the syndrome is accompanied by mental disorders, headaches, a feeling of permanent fatigue, and irregular periods.

As you can see, this is not a disease that can be recognized immediately without any doubt. To make it easier for you, I have listed below what you should pay special attention to:

Severe abdominal pain

Do you feel pain in your lower abdomen, radiating to the sides or to one side? Something like a stabbing or burning sensation radiating to your lower back and sometimes even your legs? Does it hit you suddenly, without warning, and cause you extreme discomfort that makes it almost impossible to function in your daily life, but rarely wakes you up at night? Okay, so be aware that this is the most obvious symptom of IBS.

It is a basic symptom, necessary for diagnosis, associated with defecation and/or change in frequency of defecation, and/or change in appearance of stools (according to the Rome IV Criteria).

Diarrhea and constipation

Disturbance of bowel habits is another characteristic symptom. There are days when you can't do anything at all (even though you feel a feeling of heaviness), and days when you could actually not leave the bathroom.

The connection between irritable bowel syndrome and painful periods

Studies show that women are much more likely to struggle with irritable bowel syndrome, especially those who complain of painful periods (Young Sun Kim, Nayoung Kim 2018). This is because hormones have a direct impact on the intensity of muscle contractions (you can learn more about this phenomenon in our article on diarrhea during your period ). So if you suffer every month during the first days of bleeding (and maybe your mother suffered or is suffering from the same thing), unfortunately you are at risk.

Impact on normal functioning

Each of us from time to time experiences various types of digestive problems, of course (unless you live in a world of pad ads, then you don't). If they occur suspiciously often, have a negative impact on your well-being (and often also your self-esteem) and regularly force you to change your plans, you shouldn't ignore it. Life is wasted on a lack of reaction.

IBS Characters

As you already know, irritable bowel syndrome can manifest itself in various ways. To help distinguish this condition from others, and to help choose the right diet, four forms of IBS have been distinguished (each is characterized by the presence of at least one of the following symptoms):

- diarrhea:

• symptoms: more than 3 bowel movements per day, sudden need to use the toilet, loose or watery stools;
• the following are not present: less than 3 bowel movements per week, hard and/or lumpy stool, straining during defecation;

- constipation:

• symptoms: less than 3 bowel movements per week, hard and/or lumpy stool, straining during defecation;
• there are no: more than 3 bowel movements per day, loose or watery stools, sudden need to use the toilet;

- mixed;

- unspecified.

Who is most at risk?

Depending on the study, IBS is said to be found in between 10% and 30% of the population. I wondered why there was such a large variation in the data, and I think it is probably because many people, unfortunately, do not report their symptoms at all when they go to the doctor.

The disease usually begins between the ages of 30 and 40, although – rarely, because rarely – it can also affect children. According to the studies cited earlier, it has a particular preference for women (and this probably applies to people with uteruses in general). Their sex hormones are important factors that model the impact of stress, intestinal motility and the perception of visceral pain through interaction with neuromodulator systems and the emotional system. It is suspected that the reason for this sexual “discrimination” may be the naturally occurring greater susceptibility to stress in women (and people with uteruses).

As I mentioned above, among menstruating people the most at risk are those who – like me – suffer torture in the first days of their cycle.

How to deal with this?

If, while reading about IBS, you have identified the main symptoms, please do not panic – this does not mean that you need to completely change your lifestyle or undergo drug treatment for the rest of your days. For a good start, try to introduce a few healthy habits.

• Smaller portions at regular intervals and chewing each bite thoroughly .
• Proper diet . Sugar, refined flour, animal protein or gluten are probably not your greatest allies. Modification of the diet should be discussed with a dietician and depend on the type of IBS. Below is some basic information:
• It is worth limiting products with an acidic pH and those containing caffeine - instead of coffee or cola, water, carrot and beetroot juice, mint or lemon balm will be much better for your intestines.
• It is recommended to increase fiber content and fluid intake to 3 liters per day.
• However, some people may have an intolerance to fibre, which can worsen the symptoms – in such cases, you should do what your intuition tells you and reduce its content in your diet.
• Fruits are a good source of fiber, but it is worth remembering that they ferment easily.
• An elimination diet is often suggested – in which we simply check one by one what works for us and what doesn’t.
• In some cases, a gluten-free diet may be beneficial (almost 30% of IBS patients have non-celiac gluten sensitivity), but it should only be introduced after celiac disease has been ruled out.
• Working on emotions . Think about what causes you excessive stress – knowing the source will help you maintain emotional balance. Be understanding towards yourself and arrange your priorities in the right order – i.e. in accordance with you.

Consultation with a gastroenterologist to diagnose (or rule out) irritable bowel syndrome and determine its form . In addition to learning about treatment methods, a specialist diet may be developed for you. It is also possible that you will receive appropriate medications. Even if the symptoms do not disappear completely in patients, treatment under the supervision of a specialist certainly helps to alleviate the symptoms of the disorder, and this, you have to admit, is a lot.