Unfortunately, somewhere between 25 and 45 million Americans cope with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is an overarching term for more than one autoimmune disorders that cause debilitating, unpredictable symptoms. IBS can cause sufferers to isolate themselves when they’re enduring symptoms that include gas and needing to use the bathroom at times that are hard to foresee.
Two out of three coping with the condition are women, while one in three are men.
Because IBS symptoms are uncomfortable, distressing, and embarrassing, they not only put a damper on daily life but they can also make traveling nearly impossible.
The understanding provider team at Eisenman and Eisenman Advanced Gastro Consultants has extensive experience in helping patients manage their IBS and providing advanced treatment, so they can live their lives to the fullest — including enjoying travel.
IBS causes ongoing inflammation of the digestive tract and symptoms like:
With Crohn’s disease, your immune system incorrectly attacks your digestive tract’s lining and the deeper layers of the tissue that are around it.
Ulcerative colitis causes chronic inflammation of your large intestine’s inner lining and rectum. One serious problem associated with this condition is that it can lead to sores and ulcers in the intestinal lining.
The area of your digestive tract that IBS impacts and determines its severity, which can become life-threatening in some instances.
We’re able to diagnose IBS using a variety of tools, including colonoscopy, upper endoscopy, and capsule endoscopy, where you ingest a capsule containing a tiny wireless camera that can capture images of your small intestine before you expel it.
Getting proper treatment for your IBS is vital to your overall quality of life and to your ability to take trips — whether to see friends and family several hours away or to enjoy a dream trip half a world away. You shouldn’t have to give this up.
We’ve compiled a list of steps you can take to make travel possible — despite your IBS — even if you believed it was no longer in the cards for you.
Try to stick to your usual sleep patterns — bedtime and rising time. This even counts if your travel includes changing time zones, if you gradually adapt.
An upset sleep schedule can bring on stress and upset your digestion — both of which are IBS symptom triggers.
Exercising regularly, and continuing to do so when you travel, is also important because this relieves stress, which can ignite IBS symptoms. Regular physical activity also helps normalize your bowel movements.
We’ve already noted that stress is an IBS trigger, so managing it effectively is in your best interest. This is because stress and anxiety activate neurotransmitters in the brain that may stimulate gut pain signals.
Good stress-reduction techniques that are doable while you travel include meditation, deep breathing, and yoga (pack your mat), which can all help alleviate stress and lower your risk of an IBS flare.
Whether you’re at the airport, in a train station, at a tourist attraction, or eating in a restaurant, your number one job is to scope out where the bathrooms are and plan how you’ll access them.
For example, if you’re flying, choose an aisle seat so it’s easier to get to the bathroom when you need to. If you’re planning a road trip, map out all the rest stops on the highway.
If you’re traveling internationally, learn how to ask where the bathroom is in the language of the country you’re visiting. Be aware, too, that in some countries, there’s a charge for using public restrooms, so be prepared.
You’ll want to bring what’s known as low FODMAP (the acronym for fermentable short-chain carbohydrates, or harder-to-digest foods) foods with you, which include things like granola bars, gluten-free crackers, and rice cakes.
You can also choose to stay in lodging with a kitchen so you can cook your own meals. When you go out, though, preview the menus to identify IBS-friendly dishes and steer clear of foods that could cause food poisoning, such as buffets and street food.
Drinking enough water is key to constipation prevention.
If you travel internationally and you’re not sure the water supply is safe, opt for bottled water. Use this for brushing your teeth and making ice, too.
As always, we’re here to help with evidence-based IBS treatments, from anti-inflammatory and immune-suppressing medications to surgical solutions.
Get relief from IBS discomfort by partnering with us. Call our Lake Worth office to schedule an appointment, or book one online.
