Stress Aggravates IBD

Saw this article commenting on an upcoming study that will be published in the American Journal of Gasteroenterology. The study found that stress was linked to a more than twofold increase in the risk of symptom flare ups in IBD sufferers. Here's an excerpt:

Stress had long been among the main environmental factors linked to the flare-up of symptoms in some individuals. This theory, however, had never been clinically proven.

According to the study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, stress is associated with a more than twofold increase in the risk of symptom flare ups in sufferers.

Such a link was not seen in other factors suspected of triggering IBD symptoms such as the use of antibiotics or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers, and infections including colds, pneumonia and urinary tract infections.

"This is among the first evidence to show that the perception of stress had a direct association with disease course," said lead researcher Charles N. Bernstein, stressing that learning better stress management methods could help treat the condition more effectively.

Here's an excerpt from another article on the same topic suggesting a possible reason for the connection:

There are biological reasons to believe that a person's response to stress would trigger or worsen IBD symptoms, Bernstein and his colleagues note.

The sympathetic nervous system, which jumps into action during times of stress, acts on the lining of the colon, and might exacerbate existing inflammation. There is also evidence that stress hormones may help harmful bacteria take up residence in the intestines, which might, in turn, affect symptoms.