Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Here's a scary little idea

I've read that among the various "insults" to the gut that can trigger the onset of IBS (abdominal surgery, dysentery, pregnancy, etc.) giving enemas - especially to children - could be one of them. There aren't any clinical studies of this that I've ever seen, but enemas were on the list for possible gut insults. I think the general theory is that anything that interferes with or disrupts the natural motility of the gut could possibly permanently alter the gut's nervous system, leading to IBS.

I know it's a little tempting to think that maybe this could work in reverse, and if you take someone who already has IBS, and insult their gut, maybe that will then alter their gut's nervous system back to normal. But I've never seen anything - not even a wild-eyed theory - to support this. And common sense says that insulting a body part that is already insulted will make things worse, not better. If IBS was external, and you had very sensitive skin, the last thing you'd do would be to deliberately irritate it with a loofah or perfumed lotion in the hopes that this would shock your skin back into a state of non-sensitivity.

- H

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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!

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