Mindfulness, yoga help IBS patients

IBS is a functional bowel disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits.

The exact cause of IBS is unknown, but some elements such as particular types of food or stress may increase symptoms in many patients.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina randomly assigned 75 women into either mindfulness training session or a traditional IBS support group for an eight-week period.

The mindfulness training included lessons on meditation, gentle yoga postures and "body scanning," in which people focus their attention on one body area at a time to detect muscle tension and other sensations.

The meditation method helps practitioners relax themselves by focusing their attention on the moment and full awareness of breathing, body and thoughts without any judgment and then "let it go" instead of ruminating the pains.

The findings showed that after only eight weeks, the mindfulness meditation group had 28.4 percent lower IBS symptoms compared to 6.2 percent reduction in the support group attendees.

Moreover, after three months, the meditators were experiencing on average a 38.2 percent reduction in the symptoms, while the support group participants had an 11.8 percent drop, researchers wrote in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

"I think people with IBS should learn mindfulness skills," said lead author Dr. Delia Chiaramonte.

The completely safe method may help people manage their painful symptoms on their own, she added.