Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a common gastrointestinal illness that causes painful symptoms including bloating & constipation, might be the source of your stomach pain. Many medicinal and non-medical treatments for stomach pain are effective, yet what worked for one individual may not function for another.
Essential oils give relief from symptoms for most of the people with this condition. Here’s everything you need to understand if you suffer from stomach pain and want to know what type of essential oils help and how to utilize them.
Causes Of Stomach Pain
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Gas
Gas is just a natural consequence of digestion, and too much gas indicates that something is wrong with your digestion. Gasses can be ingested by swallowing air or consuming carbonated beverages, but they are generally expelled through belching before reaching your intestines. Gasses are largely created in your intestines by bacteria digesting carbs in a process known as fermentation.
It’s because too many carbs weren’t naturally digested sooner in the process of digestion, before reaching those bacteria, that there’s too much fermenting going on. This could be due to a variety of factors. Perhaps you simply ate something too quickly for adequate digestion. Or you might just have a specific dietary GI condition. The following are some possible causes:
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Malabsorption of carbohydrates
Many people have trouble digesting certain types of carbs (sugars). Lactose, fructose, and carbohydrates in grains and beans are all prominent contributors. You could have an intolerance, and you may simply be experiencing general issues that lead your system to struggle with more challenging carbs. A nutritionist or gastrointestinal specialist can assist you in identifying your food sensitivities.
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Bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine (SIBO)
When microorganisms overflow into the intestine, this happens. Excess of these gut bacteria can also overpower microorganisms that are supposed to keep them in check. Some bacteria absorb the gasses produced by the others, but if there’s a lot of one type and not enough of the other, the balance can be thrown off.
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Digestive Contents
Solids, liquids, and gasses are examples of these. Whenever there is an obstruction in your digestive system, or when the muscles that transport digestive contents forward are hindered, digestive contents might pile up in your system. There will be less capacity for typical levels of gas to pass through the digestive system if there is a build-up of digestive contents. It also makes room in your stomach for other things like circulatory fluids, making everything seem tighter. The following are some of the possible causes of build-up:
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Constipation
You may experience occasional constipation as a result of your diet or lifestyle choices, or you may experience chronic constipation as a result of a medical condition. Due to backed-up feces in your intestines, previously digested food stays in your bowels longer, waiting to descend. Stomach pain occurs when everything expands to accommodate the excess volume.
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Obstacles to bowel movement
Maybe something more serious if your bowels aren’t being obstructed by backed-up waste. Tumors, scar tissue, constrictions, stenosis, and hernias can clog both your small and large intestine. Inflammatory illnesses including Crohn’s disease can cause strictures in the small intestine, which impede the passage of digested materials.
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Hormones
Perhaps you’ve discovered that your belly pain usually follows a different pattern – your menstrual cycle, rather than your digestive cycle. If that’s the case, you’re not alone. Three out of every four women claim they have stomach pain both during and before their periods. Abdominal pain is another typical symptom of perimenopause hormone changes. Whenever it comes to belly pain, female hormones demand special attention since they can affect pain from a variety of aspects, including fluids, gas, and gastrointestinal back-up, as well as your susceptibility to those things.
Essential Oils For Stomach Pain
Certain essential oils, including fennel, peppermint, and anise, may help with IBS symptoms. Aromatherapy can be a relaxing approach to bring health into your system. If used in aromatherapy, essential oils like lavender may also aid in relaxing. If essential oil usage and other treatments do not provide you with the relief you want, consult your doctor. Medication and dietary programs can be beneficial.
Peppermint
In 12 randomized trials, peppermint oil was found to improve cramping, discomfort, and other IBS symptoms. Participants in the study were provided peppermint oil in enterococcus capsules to ingest orally.
L-menthol, found in peppermint oil, inhibits calcium influx in smooth muscle. In the intestinal system, this has an antispasmodic action. Peppermint oil is also anti-inflammatory and can help the immune system.
Anise
Anise with a licorice aroma is antispasmodic. It has been used for ages in Persian medicine to treat gastrointestinal issues. It is currently sold as an enterococcus capsule for IBS patients.
Anise was proven to be useful in lowering bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and other symptoms in a clinical study of 120 individuals. Benefits for lowering depression have also been observed.
Fennel
Fennel has a strong, licorice aroma and is taxonomically related to anise. Participants in the study with mild and moderate stomach pain were given capsules that had curcumin, which is a polyphenolic component found in turmeric, and fennel.
Curcumin is anti-inflammatory by nature. Fennel decreases flatulence. When compared to the placebo group, those administered the fennel-curcumin mixture had less stomach pain and a higher quality of life.
Other Treatments Of Bloating And Pain In Stomach
- Peppermint, chamomile, ginger, turmeric, and fennel are some of the herbal drinks that might help with digestion and gas production. Dandelion tea might help you get rid of excess water.
- Capsules of peppermint oil are a natural remedy. That is, they aid in the relaxation of your gut muscles. This can aid in the passage of blocked stool and gasses, especially if your issues stem from a motility problem.
- Antacids have been demonstrated to reduce inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and make it easier to release gas. The active ingredient in antacids is simethicone, which works to pass gas by clumping together tiny gas bubbles. Simethicone can also be purchased separately.
- Magnesium supplements aid in the neutralization of stomach acid as well as the relaxation of intestinal muscles. Magnesium contains a natural laxative action that can be beneficial on occasion.
Conclusion
IBS can be a difficult condition to deal with. There are numerous lifestyle changes and drugs that can help to alleviate symptoms. Consult a doctor if you have stomach pain and haven’t had success with alternative remedies. They can counsel dietary changes and write prescriptions that may be beneficial.
