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Why does ALCOHOL make pain go away?

Posted , 14 users are following.

ellacraig
ellacraig

Hi. Why is it a couple of glasses of wine can make all my IBS related pain go away? And for the most part for the rest of the day/evening?

Is ibs all in my head or is there a medical explanation?

Ps I'm not taking a bender here. I usually enjoy a standard size glass or three of an evening..

Thank you

1 like, 17 replies

17 Replies

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  • gary187
    gary187 ellacraig

    Posted

    I'm still waiting for a hospital app to diagnose what's wrong with me but I have found wine stops the stomach pain too. I have also thought is it me or just in my head! Glad to hear it's not.
  • Guest
    Guest ellacraig

    Posted

    haha this is very common. Google "Drinking Red Wine Is Good for Gut Bacteria". It actually helps.

    All the best! smile

  • astrozombie
    astrozombie ellacraig

    Posted

    No idea as wine makes me worse so I have had to give it up. 

    I would say wine being beneficial to IBS goes against rerceived wisdom.

  • philippa61759
    philippa61759 ellacraig

    Posted

    Everyone is different.  Some find alcohol irritates their IBS while others say it helps.  This is the mystery with IBS.  Alcohol and food don't affect my stomach at all.
  • ChipWhitley
    ChipWhitley ellacraig

    Posted

    1 Timothy 5:23

    (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)This is bible scripture. They used wine 2000 years ago to alleviate stomach issues. Yes it will help you today. But drink in moderation or it will end up doing you more harm then good.

    • astrozombie
      astrozombie ChipWhitley

      Posted

      There is no verifiable evidence for this book so I suggest science is used to best assist with alleviating stomach issues. Scientifically proven methods will be the most highly effective.
  • ellacraig
    ellacraig

    Posted

    Ok thank you guys. I'm glAd I'm not alone either. Re Timothy bible passage that's really interesting! Not saying it's a free pass to drink wine but maybe there's something in it? I found a gut seminar where the specialist said wine can have a calming reaction in the gut but they didn't proceed to say if it's a bad thing or not...

    Good luck for your hospital appoint "first response"

    I'm too scared to even go near one! Or maybe I would have figured this gut thing out a LONG time ago..

  • sam18386
    sam18386 ellacraig

    Posted

    Hi, no ibs isn't in your head, do you feel relaxed when driving the wine? If you do that will explain why your IBS is better, less stress less IBS! Carry on - if it works why not?😁
    • astrozombie
      astrozombie sam18386

      Posted

      That may be so for some and seems you are included in this total but I have been told on more than one occasion that alcohol irritates the lining of the bowel therefore leading to possible IBS symptoms, usually the following day. Alcohol also causes dehydration which can cause lead to stomach cramps. I know this because I used to wake with agonising stomach cramps often after drinking wine at the weekend. 

      This is not a post against alcohol. I have an alcohol cupboard complete with base spirits and liqueurs for cocktails and red and white wine and many books on wine and I have taken wine tours and attended wine events. I enjoy alcohol but I would be naive not to say it does not mix well with IBS for me and anyone else would have to work out if it was a problem for them too. 

    • taryn35176
      taryn35176 astrozombie

      Posted

      I don't have ibs - just 12 weeks post op for gastric bypass - 12 weeks of debilitating nausea - I can't work. I'm on every anti-nausea known to man but nothing works excepts sips of alcohol. Drives me crazy because I'm an alcoholic - but I don't get relief any other way.

  • mikajay
    mikajay ellacraig

    Edited

    Yes. This!!!

    I find that wine significantly helps reduce the pain in a lasting way whenever I have a flare up.

    In fact, it's become the last resort when I find the pain to be too much to handle. I can go for just a few sip, and it almost instantly calms the pain and undoes the tightness and knotted bloating.

    I've tried so many other more reasonable measures, but nothing helps as well as this. It's the opposite of what is recommended as alcohol is expected to irritate, but in my case there is no objection if it helps. I don't think the reason why something like this is the case is not well understood yet, so the science is yet to be completely researched.

    I don't often drink alcohol, but I stumbled upon this by accident when I had a flare up while on a trip, and decided what the heck since part of the trip involved visiting a winery and we were offered some to try for free.

  • sam18386
    sam18386 ellacraig

    Posted

    ha! can we bottle your method, i think that's fab! do what you feel if it helps then why stop? 😁

  • mike81210
    mike81210 ellacraig

    Posted

    I'm the exact same. Particularly red wine but also beer. Its like it drugs all my symptoms, so maybe IBS is an overactive response of nerves in the gut .... the alcohol dampens the reaction. I tried non alcoholic wine but that had no effect so its definitely the alcohol that was the effective ingredient. Well I suppose we will just have to drink onwards.... enjoy.

  • taryn35176
    taryn35176 ellacraig

    Posted

    I'm 12 weeks post op from a gastric bypass - the only thing that settles my stomach is alcohol and sleep.

  • sam18386
    sam18386 ellacraig

    Posted

    lol! can you bottle your remedy and share it with medical researchers about IBS! aren't you removing the stress? whatever works for you....

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