IBS and Osteopathy

We’ve all heard of IBS, but what is it really? It can’t be diagnosed by imaging, blood tests, or other investigations, although the tests do help to rule out other potential diagnoses. Symptoms include two extremes in quick succession. Constipation and diarrhoea can hit in the same day, making management especially tricky.

IBS is considered a functional condition. This means there are no tests to rule it in, only to rule other things out. You can’t “see” IBS on a scan or a blood test, which might make some people feel like it’s a bit of a throwaway diagnosis without much substance. It definitely is a real condition, and there are things you can do to make it more manageable.

Identifying your IBS Triggers

Osteopaths have a luxury of time that other healthcare professionals do not. There are a number of factors involved with any one case of IBS, and identifying the most important of those can make a big difference to how it’s managed. If you find it helps you to reflect with someone, your osteopath might be a good person to speak to. You might find that keeping a diary of your symptoms alongside things like:

• what you’ve eaten
• any fizzy, alcoholic, or caffeinated drinks you’ve had
• your stress levels and sleep
• any medication or supplements
• hormonal changes

might be helpful for revealing a pattern. Ideally, this information will help you to work out what things you need to limit to keep your system happy. Alternatively, it could throw up some flags that suggest it might not be IBS. This could be especially relevant if you were given a diagnosis without very thorough investigation. Note that the As a patient, we can help support you in getting back to your GP and highlighting your concerns.

Digestion and Osteopathy

Osteopaths are recognised as having the potential to help with digestive issues. One of the easiest differences an osteopath can make to digestion is to work on the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a sheet of muscle that, among other roles, helps to support the sphincter at the top of the stomach. Tension in the diaphragm can play a part in problems like reflux, and osteopaths are good at sorting out tense muscles!

One study has suggested that clicking spinal joints could have a positive impact on IBS. The theory is that if manipulating the spine has an effect on the local muscles and nerves, that clicking the nerves that supply the bowel could “reset” them. It’s worth noting that the conclusion this paper made was that the problem that potentially led to the IBS was “displacement” of discs or joints. We know that discs cannot be displaced, as they are so well rooted to the bones above and below themselves. Joint displacement, or potentially subluxion, would likely cause at least some local pain in the lower back. And we’d expect at the least some reduced movement day to day. But we do know that irritated neck joints can refer pain into the arm, so maybe something similar in the back could cause a visceral reaction.

We do know that abdominal pain can cause a postural change that might tighten the diaphragm, hip flexors, and abdominal muscles. As a result, you might develop over-stretching and weakness in the glutes and back. Osteopathic treatment to relax those tight muscles and restore movement might not resolve your gastrointestinal symptoms, but it might just make the rest of you more comfy.

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