The Link Between IBS and the Highly Sensitive Person

What is IBS??

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gut disorders because it affects 10%–15% of adults in the US.”¹ Symptoms can include constipation, diarrhea or constipation, bloating, gas, abdominal pain, and many more physical and psychological symptoms .² Worldwide, IBS is estimated to affect 5-10% of people.³

IBS is a complex disorder that’s cause is said to differ between people. However, certain factors have been strongly linked to IBS. These can include diet, stress and psychological issues, hormonal changes, medications, an infection in the digestive tract, or genetics.⁴

Today, however, I want to discuss research on a theory that investigates a deeper cause of IBS, which is miscommunications in our nervous system. From there, we will discuss how this research changes an HSPs approach to treating their IBS. 

What is the link?

IBS is said to be caused by some miscommunication along the vagus nerve.⁵ The vagus nerve communicates messages between two areas of our nervous system: the enteric nervous system and the central nervous system, which are also known as the gut-brain axis.⁵ 

So these miscommunications in the vagus nerve can lead to IBS or other stomach issues, like feeling nauseous when stressed.⁵

You can see that our gut-brain axis is closely linked to our nervous system, because it is actually 1/3 of our autonomic nervous system. ⁵

How does this apply to an HSP?

Well, our trait of high sensitivity “is characterized by a more responsive central nervous system, which processes stimuli more thoroughly than the average person”.⁶  

Because IBS is caused by miscommunications with our nervous systems, and HSPs have more responsive nervous systems, it would make sense that our sensitivity does, in some capacity, affect our digestive health.

Additionally, there is a relationship between being highly sensitive and having mental health struggles,⁷ and those with mental health struggles are more likely to have IBS.⁸ More specifically, a study concluded that people who are HSPs were more likely to have had gastrointestinal issues within the past week than those who weren't highly sensitive.⁹

With these connections in mind between highly sensitive people, we can see that HSPs might be more susceptible to IBS. How can we deal with our IBS knowing that it could be tied to our nervous system?

Revolutionize your approach 

If you do believe your IBS has a link with your sensitive nervous system, and not other causes such as celiac or food intolerance, look into these ideas for a more custom approach to your IBS. I’ll focus on the approach that to heal our IBS as highly sensitive people, we need to put most of our emphasis on healing and relaxing our nervous system first.

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy has achieved remarkable results in treating IBS, and around 76% of people's IBS is improved by it. ¹⁰  

Hypnotherapy is a form of hypnosis which attempts to create “a relaxed state of focus".¹¹ While similar to mindfulness, hypnotherapy can often pull you into a deeper mental state, and it targets change through repeated words or phrases. It can be practiced when working with a hypnotherapist, or you can do it on your own, like through an app or online course. I use an app called Nerva, which is hypnotherapy specifically for IBS. It offers 6-weeks of guided hypnotherapy and readings, and it’s been great so far.  Hypnotherapy calms the mental signals we send to our gut, as well as being a great way to relax our nervous systems.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has shown promise as a treatment for IBS, helping by potentially by "promoting emotional regulation before and during IBS flare-ups.¹² "Reducing stress and anxiety through CBT could also help IBS symptoms.

In a study used to gauge effectiveness of CBT on IBS, "72% of patients in the self-administered CBT group reported adequate relief of IBS symptoms compared to ... 7.4% in the control group."¹³

Mindfulness

While mindfulness, the art of increasing awareness and being more present, is a great way to manage stress and live a healthier life, a study concluded that mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) also helped to reduce IBS symptoms.¹⁴

Like hypnotherapy, mindfulness can be practiced in an office with a therapist, or from several avenues online, like courses or apps. I use an element of mindfulness for my IBS. If I find myself stressed, I pay attention to my stomach to see how it reacts to the stress. Oftentimes, I’ve noticed my natural stress reaction is to clench my stomach very tight, so I’m hoping that by becoming more aware of it throughout the day, I can break that habit. But any skill or breathing exercise that calms the nervous system would be beneficial.

Exercise

Exercise in general has been proven to have positive effects on IBS.¹⁵ While the study I cited included various forms of exercise, so I don't know which types of exercise are more/less effective, I want to mention that core exercises seem to be really good for my IBS. I think it makes sense because my IBS is mostly caused by stress that makes me clench my stomach subconsciously, so it's good to wear out that area so I don't have the energy to tighten my gut.

Supplements/Herbs

Supplements are a tricky option for treating IBS by healing the nervous system because they’re not one-size-fits-all, but they are definitely worth exploring for their benefits. The last two don't act on the nervous system necessarily, but I had to throw them it because of how effective they are.

Magnesium “relaxes the nervous system and alleviates constipation”.¹⁶ According to Dr. Roseann, a children’s mental health expert and psychologist, The effects of magnesium are strong in the vagus nerve and prefrontal cortex, “which are both crucial for managing stress”.¹⁷

Vitamin B2 or riboflavin, “plays a crucial role in many body processes, including the nervous system. It has also been linked to better cognitive function and memory.¹⁸  B Vitamins in general are great for the nervous system, and thereby IBS, because they “play special and essential roles both in the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS).¹⁹‌

Peppermint Oil/Tea is one of the top dietary treatments for IBS. It works to soothe our digestive system because the active ingredient in peppermint oil, menthol, is a natural antispasmodic.²⁰ It can be consumed through tea, time-release capsules, or straight oil. I typically drink tea and use capsules from Heather’s Tummy Care, which is an all-natural IBS store. 

Fennell, like peppermint oil, is a strong antispasmodic that can be consumed through its tea or oil. It's great for calming gut, and you can feel your digestive system working almost right after I take it (it has a good amount of fiber in it).²¹ Additionally, fennel is rich in vitamins and even has the mentioned mineral magnesium.²² As a word of caution, fennel has a interesting flavor similar to black licorice that not everybody can get behind. 

Ultimately, with our knowledge of how our sensitivity can relate to our nervous system and gut, we can change our approach to focus on healing our nervous system, which will then affect our IBS. Our approach can be more directly related to our nervous system, which is intimately tied with IBS.

Sources

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