IBS and Diarrhea vs. Smoking and Chewing Tobacco
It case you didn’t already know, generally speaking all stimulants will effect Irritable Bowel Syndrome sufferers harder than those without IBS, and tobacco is one of the most extreme daily stimulants of them all. Pick your poison, smoke or chew. That tobacco is a massive gastro-intestinal stimulant, irritant and carcinogen. And due to the fact that people with IBS already have extremely sensitive intestinal tracts the use of any kinds of tobacco should be avoided at all costs. Even for you non-IBS sufferers or family members reading this to help a loved one, the effect tobacco has on your GI tract is severe. Take it from a smoker who quit, it’s your key to better living.
Tobacco has shown to be very harmful to the entire digestive system. That tobacco is a killer on your insides and can cause both acid reflux and heartburn. IBS sufferers already experience that more than enough, why make it worse when you are trying to feel better. The tobacco will also weaken the sphincter in the esophagus, and that allows stomach acid to flow upward into the esophagus. And to add on to the party tobacco can also double your chance of developing a peptic ulcer and the chemicals in tobacco will also hinder the healing of ulcers and make people suffering from them more likely to develop additional ulcers later in their life. Boy this is a party now! The exact increase is unknown but it’s thought to be as high as 10 times as likely. Many Doctors also believe that there is a link between the development of Crohn’s disease and the possible development of gallstones in tobacco users. Most people know someone who has passed a gallstone or has passed one themselves. It’s certainly nothing I want to increase my chances of having to deal with.
The most common result in long-term cigarette smoking or tobacco chewing is the development of cancer, including cancer of the digestive tract, such as colon, bladder, pancreas, kidney and stomach cancer. It’s not known if IBS sufferers are at a higher risk to develop cancer of the digestive tract, but the additional irritation and stimuli to the body tends to not be favourable for IBS patients. Cancer kills, and it won’t be any easier on a person with IBS.
The addictive and poisonous part of tobacco is nicotine, and it can cause tons of health problems on its own. But nicotine isn’t the only problem with tobacco. There are over 400 toxins and at least 43 known carcinogens in tobacco products, all of which will hit someone with IBS much harder than they would hit a healthy person. Another seldom considered side effect of smoking is increased air consumption, which can lead to bloating and flatulence. So you’ll have gallstones while farting when you’re not doubled over in pain from that ulcer pressing up against where you are bloating, with a nice dice roll on getting cancer. This really is not sounding fun anymore people!
Tobacco will irritate the lining of the intestines, which can cause diarrhea, intestinal cramping, pain, bloating and gas in IBS afflicted people. Tobacco use will also decreases the efficiency of food digestion and it can also dramatically slow down the metabolism of those with IBS. This can alter bowel movements, which are already a big enough problem for those suffering IBS, and cause bloating. Nicotine has been reported to highly increase the frequency of stomach cramps in IBS sufferers. Withdrawal from nicotine can also cause both constipation and diarrhea.
For people suffering from IBS just that small amount of tobacco stimuli to the digestive tract can be way too much and start giving you problems. The effects of tobacco use are universally negative for anyone in the first place and can be a lot worse for those with IBS. There really is no known cure for IBS yet and treatment options are not widely agreed upon, even by the doctors themselves.
There is one treatment everyone can agree on though. That is to reduce or eliminate your daily or even occasional tobacco use, even if you don’t have IBS!
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Posted by Rick Friendly
on Jul 24 2010. Filed under News, Related.
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