Over 600,000 people in the U.S. have some form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to FamilyDoctor.org. Many people with inflammatory bowel disease assume that stress is a factor in their illness. As it turns out, they may be right.
A Canadian study, which followed 552 patients of bowel disease over the course of a year, found that symptoms tended to flare up during periods of high stress, according to the National Institute of Health. These symptoms can include stomach cramps, weight loss, diarrhea and intestinal bleeding caused by inflammation of the intestines.
Despite the effect daily stress can have on IBD, it is not believed to be a cause of the disease; In fact, the exact cause is still unknown. IBD is not contagious but possibly hereditary and related to problems in the immune system.
While this study cannot provide scientific data regarding the effects of stress on IBD, it is one of the first steps toward making a connection between stress and the disease. Lead researcher for the study, Dr. Charles Bernstein, told Reuters Health, "We are proposing that, based on this study and other emerging data, that clinicians make more of an effort to identify and manage psychological problems and stress that patients may have."
