# Tight belt around belly helps?



## twonK (Oct 30, 2006)

Hi all,

for most of my 20-year IBS life I've been avoiding pressing on my belly in any way shape or form. Even the slightest pressure would add considerably to the pain and discomfort. Low-riding trousers are not a fashion statement for me - they are a necessity.

However of late, due to unknown reasons I've found that lying on my front (thus compressing my belly) has helped reduce pain. Naturally lying face-down all day every day is suboptimal so I took the next step of pulling a belt tight around my belly (you know, roughly across my belly button, above my trouser waist band) and it seems to help.

Sure I don't feel "good" but the pain and discomfort is notably lessened.

Questions:


anyone else find this? 
anyone tried a girdle for this purpose? how did it work out? and did it look awesome? (joke)
anyone hazard a guess as to why this compression helps? (I know we cannot know for sure but an educated hypothesis could be helpful)

Many thanks, Pete


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

HI Pete

glad you've found something that lessens the pain and discomfort, even if it is just a little bit. every little bit helps, i always think.

recently someone posted here on the board and mentioned this--she found that wearing an abdominal binder helped a bit to relieve her pain and discomfort. and i've read posts about this before:

http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/topic/236481-pain-goes-away-when-lying-down-anyone-else/

i've tried this a couple times and it doesn't help me but we're all different.

just a guess on my part, but my theory on why this can help is that the belt/binder/tight jeans//whatever you use is providing sort of a counter-pressure that helps reduce the pain. and possibly the support that it might provide (depending on what your situation is--ie pain due to bloating) helps too. just a guess.


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## Nuffa (Sep 12, 2014)

It definetely helps me to to wear a tight belt. Realized that again just yesterday.


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## Moises (May 20, 2000)

I toss and turn a lot when I am in bed trying to sleep. My gut definitely lowers my sleep quality. But the vast majority of my time in bed is spent with my belly down so I am going to give this belt-tightening a try. Thanks.


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## Caarl (Sep 13, 2013)

I don't really suffer from any pain but I do know that when I lay belly down i tend to feel my intestines reacting. Usually this means I tend to have some kind of movement in my bowels and possibly pass some gas also. Passing gas is usually a pretty good thing for me because it means things are actually moving downstream. I'm always bloated and i feel its the combination of the pressure and the better re-positioning of the intestines that helps when it comes to lying belly down in bed.

Pls update us on the girdle if you ever happen to get one.


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## twonK (Oct 30, 2006)

Hi Caarl, check out http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/topic/236481-pain-goes-away-when-lying-down-anyone-else/?view=findpost&p=1084250, it's a related post. I've ordered a girdle (aka "binder") and will let you know how it goes.

Cheers, Pete


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## Moises (May 20, 2000)

So far, it hasn't helped me. But thanks for the suggestion.


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## twonK (Oct 30, 2006)

Nuffa said:


> It definetely helps me to to wear a tight belt. Realized that again just yesterday.


do you have any idea why Nuffa? It's pretty atypical for IBS'ers.


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## twonK (Oct 30, 2006)

So FYI I badgered my GI and he got abdominal x-ray and CAT scans done. Turns out my appendix is "enlarged" - but it's not appendicitis. I'm going for a colonoscopy soon-ish so he can check it out. I didn't know that the appendix is connected to the colon at all!

Apparently the cause could be transient air/gas, stool or a polyp. If it's the latter he'll whip it out during the colonoscopy.


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