According to german scientists, their could be a causal relationship between psychological factors and pain sensitivities among people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and anxiety/ depression. Seeing high rates of patients within this group led to the study, says Professor Sigrid Eisenbruch from the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany. The small 17 patient study shows that depressed people with IBS are less capable of suppressing pain signals coming to the brain from the bowels. It seems to confirm the notion that their exists a complex correlation between the gut and the brain within the network of pain management in depressed patients.
It’s the fact that so many people with IBS have depression and anxiety that has led scientists to believe that the origins of IBS have a psychological basis and not entirely a physical one. The complexity of the “brain-gut”relationship has led experts to further investigate the implications of neurological treatments in a more supportive role. I believe one such supportive neurological treatment could be neurofeedback therapy. Altering brainwaves responsible for pain could lead to a greater overall outcome.
Scientific interest has involved using brain imaging (MRI) to determine the role the central nervous system plays in the pain pathways by monitoring those areas of the brain. The images captured showed clear evidence that the pain response to IBS was abnormal in patients with depression than was from healthy ones.
This intriguing discovery hopefully will lead to a broader approach to include neurofeedback therapy and other brain centered sciences in contributing to the treatment of IBS.
A balanced brain is a pain free brain.