Are you in pain? Stomach, bloating, bowels, aching muscles or nausea pain? Here are some things I do and products I use to help relieve the pain. I do not take any pills, besides a probiotic.
1. Magnesium Lotion and Arnica Cream.
For magnesium lotion, I only use a tiny bit (a little goes a long way) and I massage it onto the spot I am feeling the pain. This lotion works best for stomach/under rib pain or stinging. Magnesium is also great as a general stress relief lotion. Sometimes I will switch between that and arnica cream. Arnica cream is used for things like bruises, sprains, muscle aches, wound healing, joint pain, and swelling, but it also works great for overall pain that comes with GP. If you are interested in what magnesium and arnica products I specifically use, please message me or comment below.
2. Heating Pad/ Rice Pack.
I have both a plug in heating pad and two sizes of a rice pack, as well as a travel USB plug in heating pad. These are great no matter how you're feeling or where you hurt. They’re great for stomach/under rib pain, bloating, cramps, headaches, and overall stress. I never travel without my portable one, it calms me down and keeps my stomach from being in pain while on the plane, train, bus, etc.
You can get a heating pad at most stores like Walmart, and you can either make your own rice pack, or buy from a small business/ on Etsy. You can also get them easily on Amazon.
3.Belly Breathing/ Meditation.
I took a meditation class last semester in college and it was one of the most beneficial things I have found for my gp. Stress really affects your stomach in so many ways - think about a time where you were nervous or scared about something, your stomach will feel upset and this will cause you to throw up or have bowels troubles. Meditation and belly breathing can really calm you down and help your overall daily stress. Belly breathing alone can make me go from feeling really sick at work, to 5 minutes later feeling completely fine.
I do my meditation either morning or night (or both). I use an app called Insight Timer (highly recommend, and free!), but there are other apps people love as well, like Headspace. Choose one that works for you, or don't choose one at all and practice on your own. I do suggest at least taking one mediation class if possible, you can find some on YouTube if you can't go in person. It is so helpful to be in a class setting while doing it, so you can practice with an open mind, with full intent, being focused on only that with good instruction.
4. Massage the area.
I know for me, I get bloated a lot after I drink and after I eat dinner. Massaging the area helps me to get rid of the bloat as well as the pain that comes with it. It's not an instant relief but putting your hand on where you hurt and massaging does have benefits. I massage clockwise from my lower stomach up and around to under my ribs in circular motions.
5. Exercise/ stretch.
It's hard for people who are in pain to be able to go and exercise or even stretch, but over time it does help you. I have been finding that walks after dinner around the neighborhood help my stomach with bloating. Exercise in general helps you feel better, so try to incorporate it in a safe way as much as you can.
6. Ginger.
Ginger has a lot of benefits; pain relief, settles and upset stomach, relieves nausea, morning sickness, cramps ,etc. You can take ginger in tea, chews or supplement form. I personally use the chews and tea the most, but I’m looking into getting it in a supplement form. The main tip I have for ginger is to not drink ginger ale. We all have grown up with ginger ale being good for us when we're sick. Our parents would give it to us when we weren't feeling good to help settle our stomach. The ginger in the drink is what helped us, not the carbonation/soda aspect to it. If you have gp or any form of stomach disorder, drinking any form of soda is only going to make you worse- specifically with bloating. You're trying to reduce the amount of air in your system, so drinking soda is not the best thing to do, especially if you get bloated easily.
7. Tea.
I drink a lot of herbal tea to help my symptoms. The most common to help are peppermint, ginger and chamomile. I do have some other teas (Traditional Medicinals) that are belly ease/comfort, echinacea and a few others. Drinking warm fluids and eating warm foods help your digestive system, so try to incorporate them as much as you can. I tend to drink tea later in the day; I have a cup when I get home from work and then have one a couple hours before bed.
8. Baths.
If you have a tub instead of a shower, I would highly suggest taking a bath. It's relaxing but also helps your bloating and cramping pain you may feel. I don't use a bath bomb or any form of fragrance. I pour in two cups of Epsom salts and one cup of baking soda. Baking soda has cleansing and detoxifying properties to it that can help cleanse your body and boost your immunity. I would highly suggest incorporating this into your routine by doing it a few times a week at night before bed.
9. Rescue Remedy.
Rescue remedy by Bach Flower Remedies is something I grew up with. They have many different types, but the original rescue remedy (yellow bottle) is the best in my opinion. Rescue remedy helps calm your nerves. I used this a lot when I was having a lot of pain while at work, just a few drops on or under your tongue is all you need. Message me if you're interested in where I get mine, it is all natural and a great stress reliever. You can get it on the Bach Flower Remedies website, Amazon, or at Whole Foods.
Other things that can help:
- Staying Hydrated. It's important to make sure your body is getting enough water! Feeling fatigue or having some stomach cramps- drink more!
- Don't drink 15 minutes to 1 hour before and after meals. This cut out my terrible bloating. You can still have some sips, and staying hydrated is important, but I find that not drinking while I eat helps my bloating and appetite.
- Probiotic. It helps the good gut bacteria stay in the gut. This is something everyone should be taking.
- Acupuncture (see my other post for details). This was the biggest pain reliever for me personally.
Everyone has different symptoms with Gastroparesis and their pain varies and will probably change over time. Please do your own research as well to figure out what works best for you.
I am interested in hearing how these go for you, and feel free to comment anything different that you may have tried!
-Loreal
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