Healing Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Diaphragmatic Breathing

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects 7 to 21% of the general population and is a chronic condition. The symptoms usually include abdominal cramping, discomfort or pain, bloating, loose or frequent stools and constipation, and can significantly reduce the quality of life. This case report describes how a 22-year-old woman, who was initially diagnosed with IBS when she was a high school junior, healed herself from IBS with slow abdominal breathing without any therapeutic coaching. She has continued to be symptom-free for the last three years. The article reviews how slower diaphragmatic breathing (abdominal breathing) may reduce symptoms of IBS, explores the possibility that breathing is more than increasing sympathetic/parasympathetic balance, and suggests additional self-care strategies to reduce the symptoms of IBS.