What Is an IBS Flare?

If you’ve been around IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) online communities, you may hear the term “flare” used. Maybe that’s what brought you here.

For each person, a flare may mean something different, because there’s no true definition of what a flare is. My hope in this article is to break down what a flare can mean, how you can create your own definition, and what you can do when a flare hits for you.

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What does “flare” mean?

The term “flare” is used to describe a period of time where symptoms are at their worst. For some, this may be used to simply note that they are having symptoms. For others, this means symptoms are more severe than their typical day. For example, a flare may mean that someone has been having diarrhea or that they are severely constipated. It may also mean that they are more sensitive to foods at the moment, and that they are experiencing more pain than their usual day.

There’s no time limit or even minimum time required for a flare to be present. It may be a moment in time, like one episode of a “bad” bowel movement or symptoms after a meal, or it may be a period of time, like days, weeks, or even months. If someone is using the term flare in a shorter period of time, they are likely referring to symptoms being worse than their typical day and that these symptoms were significant enough to stand out in that moment. If someone is using the term for a period of time, they may be referring to more symptoms that they don’t feel like they can get a break from.

Early on in an IBS diagnosis, the term flare may be used to describe a longer period of time. As you get control of symptoms and have a plan for your IBS, the term may change to only refer to moments that are much worse than your controlled baseline.

Create your own definition of a flare

Because there’s no true definition, it’s important for you to come up with your own, and to communicate that when you are telling others about your symptoms, especially your healthcare providers. Having your own definition will help your support system know how to better. help you and understand what’s going on so they can have more patience and empathy, if that’s what you’re asking them for. Your own definition will also give you confidence as you’re working with your healthcare providers to determine what’s working, not working, or changing in your plan.

Using a 5 or 10 point scale of your symptoms, with 1 being no symptoms at all, can help you more clearly define the severity of your symptoms, or the changes you are experiencing. If you’re not sure how you would describe each number on your scale, it can be helpful to keep a journal for a few weeks to better understand your symptoms day to day.

Once you have your scale developed, you can determine which number on the scale best represents a flare for you. Likely, this would be the number where your day is most affected by the symptoms, whether that means a sick day at work, cancelling plans, changing how you eat, or modifying the movement you do in the day. Your scale and your flare definition can change at any time, so use this as a way to explore this a bit more and get to know your body better.

What to do during a flare

A personalized flare tool kit can be helpful to avoid prolonged or worsened flares, especially when you know you are nearing that number on your scale. Personalization will come more through 1:1 work with a professional, like the dietitians on our team, but here are a few starter tips for your tool kit you can try in the meantime.

Flare tips:

Rest - the sooner you allow your body to rest and recalibrate, versus push it too hard, the sooner you will be able to slow down the flare progression. This can be hard, but it’s so important to implement self care early when you notice symptoms getting worse.
Nourish - it’s tempting to stop eating or revert back to “safe” foods when symptoms increase. Many times this leads to under-nourishing the body, which will only set it up for more symptoms and a prolonged flare. Work around your triggers, yes, but continue to nourish the body and stick to normal meal patterns as much as possible.
Self care - in addition to rest, taking care of your body to regulate your nervous system is key. This may look like time alone to decompress, watching your favorite show, going to therapy, doing a meditation, calling a friend… whatever helps you feel grounded and less stressed.
Hydrate - like nourishment, your body needs to be well hydrated to function well. If your symptoms lead to patterns of less water intake, find ways to keep water up so your body has what it needs to support you.
Self talk - it’s easy to catastrophize when you notice symptoms getting worse. This looks like the “oh, no, this is going to be a bad day” panic that inevitably leads to even more symptoms. Encouraging yourself and using self talk to work through those thoughts and avoid a full panic is key. Cognitive behavioral therapy for IBS with a GI psychologist or the Mahana IBS app can be helpful resources for this.

Wherever you are in your IBS journey, I hope this was helpful to better understand how you can define flares, communicate your symptoms, and support your body when a flare is coming on!