IBS abdominal, lower and upper back pain is typically deferred pain caused by other IBS symptoms, including bloating, constipation and/or diarrhoea-related cramping. These symptoms are the result of an irritated, imbalanced digestive tract and can be triggered by stress.
Yoga can help to relieve IBS pain by reducing stress, soothing and balancing the digestive tract and restoring normal function.
How to Relieve IBS Pain with Yoga
Combining specific sequences of Yoga postures with mindful, steady breathing helps to reduce stress; releases tensions within the abdomen and balances digestive tract functions. Such a sequence may, for example, include the following poses:
- The Gate, or Parighasana Pose
- The Half-Seated Spinal Twist, or Ardha Matsyendrasana
- The Reclining Abdominal Twist, or Jathara Parivritti
- The Supported Bridge, or Salamba Setu Bandhasana Pose and
- The Happy Baby, or Ananda Balasana Pose (or, if this pose is too intense, the Reclining Bound Angle, or Supta Baddha Konasana Pose
You can see how to perform each pose of this particular sequence on the Yoga International Website. Alternatively, you could take a look at this ‘Yoga for Beginners’ video.
The main thing to remember when performing any Yoga sequence is to ensure you refrain from being too ambitious and never attempting to get yourself into uncomfortable, potentially painful positions that could ultimately cause you more stress and worsen your existing symptoms.
How to Relieve IBS Pain with Exercise
In addition to practising Yoga, you may also find gentle relaxing/compression exercises (stretching routines; gently sit-ups – if you feel up to it, etc.). Walking and swimming are also great stress relievers and can subsequently be equally helpful when looking for ideas on how to relieve IBS pain.
Whether you decide to try Yoga or hope to ease your pain by exercising, it is recommended to consult your GP to confirm these activities are suitable and safe for you to participate in before adding them to your daily routine.
