Disclaimer: In this post, I am sharing what I do to get relief from stomach pain. I am not a doctor, and everything that is shared is to be used for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Any actions you take from the content of this post, you are doing so at your own risk, and I am not responsible for any negative outcomes.
When you have Spina Bifida, sometimes you will have more gut issues than the average person because a lot of organs don’t work properly or at all, which can cause a lot of stomach pain. It can be difficult to manage stomach issues with Spina Bifida because you are more prone to constipation, and what normally would work for someone without a disability doesn’t always work for you. There are so many potential triggers that could be causing you pain, and although you may be able to avoid some of them, it can be difficult to avoid all of them because you can’t change your disability and don’t always know what is triggering your pain. I struggle with chronic stomach pain for a lot of reasons, which can be difficult to manage because I am not able to cook and can’t follow whatever diet program I want. Stomach issues are not fun and can disrupt your life if they are severe enough, but it’s a reality of life when you are disabled. How can you get relief if you live with chronic stomach issues? In this post, I am going to talk about what I do to manage chronic stomach issues while living with a physical disability that can be difficult to manage.
Try to figure out what your food sensitivities are- The first thing I do when I start to experience more stomach issues than usual before going to the doctor is look at my diet to try and figure out if I have any food sensitivities, because all a doctor is going to do is prescribe meds or recommend surgery, which isn’t always helpful. I have been struggling with more stomach issues recently because endometriosis affects your entire immune function and is not just a period disease, which can sometimes cause you to develop food sensitivities you never had before. I have always thought I had a sensitivity to dairy, but I haven’t been eating much dairy, so I started a gluten-free diet to see if gluten was the problem. I have been gluten-free for about a week, and it’s too soon to tell if it’s going to completely solve my problem, but it has helped improve my stomach aches. Daily stomach aches that disrupt your life are not normal and could be a sign of a food sensitivity. Make a food journal and try to figure out what you could be sensitive to because eliminating those foods will help you have less pain.
Try eating some ginger– If you are struggling with regular stomach issues, it might be a good idea to add ginger to your diet because it is anti-inflammatory and can help calm bloating and nausea. I have tried to drink ginger tea because I have noticed that when I have ginger daily that I have easier bowel movements, but I don’t love the taste of ginger, so I stick to ginger gummies instead. Ginger is not a cure for serious, severe stomach issues, but it can help improve mild symptoms. I take ginger every day, regardless of how I am feeling, because your best defense at improving pain is to get on top of it before it becomes severe.
Reduce your caffeine– When I am struggling with a lot of stomach issues, I do not drink extra cups of coffee because coffee is very acidic and can be very irritating for some people’s stomachs to handle. Reduce your caffeine intake and drink more water because caffeine increases the acidity level in your stomach, which can cause inflammation, leading to pain. Some people can drink five cups of coffee without any issues, while other people are more sensitive and can’t drink more than one cup without pain. Reduce your caffeine intake because drinking large cups of coffee multiple times a day is not helping your stomach issues, but may be hurting them.
Eat more slowly-People sometimes get very busy and sometimes eat meals very quickly because they have a meeting and don’t have time to enjoy their meal. Are you experiencing a lot of bloating and gas after a meal? It might be because you are eating too quickly and aren’t giving your body enough time to digest the food you have just eaten. Slow eating is better for you because eating too fast causes a lot of bloating and gas, which triggers pain. People who eat more slowly eat less because when you eat too quickly, you aren’t giving your body enough time to digest, and sometimes you think you are still hungry but aren’t. Slow eating is better for your digestion and can help improve pain because you can avoid getting overly stuffed when you listen to your body.
Go to the doctor to rule out health conditions– If you have been experiencing severe stomach problems that lifestyle changes are not touching, it might be a sign that something else is going on. Go to the doctor and get some tests done to rule out other health conditions because you’re never going to be able to get ahead of your stomach issues if you don’t know what is causing them. Doctors can sometimes give you remedies that you would not have thought of yourself, and it can never hurt to get something checked out. I don’t go to the doctor as soon as I start experiencing pain, but I do if I am concerned that something else may be going on. Doctors don’t know everything and can’t always help you, but it is always a good idea to go anyway to rule out other health conditions to give you peace of mind.
Lay in a hot bath- When I am struggling with stomach pain, lying in a hot bath often helps because hot water helps relax your muscles, which will give you less pain. If I am on my period and can’t lie in a hot bath without a bloody mess, I sometimes will use my heating pad because heat really can help improve stomach pain.
Try to have a bowel movement- When you have Spina Bifida, it’s easy to get constipated and not even know it because you don’t get the sensations that people without disabilities do. I sometimes will get pain and know when I am constipated, but most times I will not have signs until it’s too late. One of the first things I do when I get a stomachache is I try to have a bowel movement because sometimes the problem is that you are a little backed up, and going to the bathroom will give you relief.
Drink some peppermint tea or diffuse peppermint oil- If you are struggling with stomach issues, drinking peppermint tea can help relax your stomach muscles and reduce bloating, which will help lower your pain. I often will drink peppermint tea or rub peppermint oil on my stomach when I am having digestive issues, and depending on the severity, sometimes I will have relief within the hour.
Chronic stomach issues are frustrating because you can’t do anything when your stomach hurts so bad that you can barely move. Severe stomach pain may need medical attention, but if it’s mild, doctor’s visits aren’t always necessary because you can manage a lot of ailments at home. It is important to know what your food triggers are because if you have something like celiac disease and are eating gluten, it could cause damage, which may be a contributing factor to your pain. Listen to your body because no doctor knows your body better than you do. This is not a complete list of every possible stomach remedy because there are so many, and not everyone will get relief from the same types of things. I will never have complete relief from my stomach issues because I can’t change my disability, but I can make lifestyle changes so pain is not as bad. Listen to your body and do your best to manage your stomach issues because you can’t always expect doctors to give you all the answers and sometimes you have to figure things out yourself. How do you manage chronic stomach issues while living with a disability? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends.
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