Coping with Crohn's: Relaxation Techniques to Override the Pain of Cramps

Ask any group of patients with Crohn's disease for their five most troublesome symptoms. Intestinal cramping will make every list.

Half a million people in the United States suffer from this inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). And virtually all of them have experienced the discomfort of cramping, sometimes so severe that it requires prescribed narcotics to relieve the pain.

According to CNN, Crohn's causes inflammation and ulceration in the digest tract. This can cause the walls of sections of the intestine to swell and thicken over time with scar tissue. This in turn affects peristalsis - the movement of food through your digestive tract - and causes cramping and pain.

For some patients, the cramping is a dull ache. They might feel it in the lower back as well as in the gut. Some report having sudden pain so severe, they had to pull off the road when driving.

In the nearly 30 years since I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, I have found the most effective way to ease the cramping caused by the disease is to practice relaxation techniques. There are quite a few of them, from deep breathing to meditation.

It's not surprising that intestinal cramps from IBD come in waves, since peristalsis is a wavelike movement of the bowel. What scared me most about it was knowing that it had a rhythm, I would lie on the couch, dreading and expecting the next wave of pain. Unfortunately, my expectations were always on target.

After giving birth to my daughter, I realized the breathing techniques taught in my Lamaze class could be helpful during cramping episodes. The concept of going with the pain and breathing deeply through it actually helped my gut relax. After a few minutes of rhythmic inhaling and exhaling, the cramping actually stopped. A relaxed gut causes less commotion and fewer cramps. I also found that if nothing else, panting distracted me from the pain. I also use recorded meditations to relax.

Although relaxation breathing proved the most effective technique for me, there are many things Crohn's patients can do to ease cramping and make themselves more comfortable:

Avoid irritating foods. They won't cause Crohn's disease, but they can irritate your digestive tract. The ones at the top of the hit list include dairy products and anything that produces a lot of gas (beans, citrus, broccoli, and soda to name a few). Fat is also a problem. Fiber works well for some Crohn's patients but not others; you have to experiment. For other problem foods, see the CNN article.

Exercise. Some patients report that a moderate walk helps with cramping. Again, the trick is to experiment. While walking distracted me a bit from the discomfort, it also brought on an attack of diarrhea.

Eat small meals. This helps your digestive tract take it easy and results in fewer episodes of cramping. Eating four or five meals a couple of hours apart is the ideal.

Try over-the-counter remedies. Although some Crohn's cramps are so severe that they require a prescription for a narcotic pain reliever, it's better to try an over-the-counter medication first. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) can help. However, you should avoid NSAIDs such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen sodium (Aleve), according to CNN. The drugs you should avoid all will probably make your symptoms worse.

Consider an anti-diarrheal. They'll help slow the diarrhea and also reduce the motility of your gut. This tends to curb cramping. Because of the danger of developing toxic megacolon, however, you should check with your doctor first.