Physical health · Sanctum

An irritable gut, the gut-brain link

Bloating, constipation, reflux, tummy aches, food sensitivities, a gut that flares with stress or change. For some it has been there since childhood, and for many it is just accepted as part of how their body is.

The link between the gut and the brain runs strong in this group, more so than in the general population. The same nervous system that runs attention and stress also runs the gut, so when one is wired differently, the other often is too. The gut has even been called the second brain for a reason.

Because the gut gets sent to one specialist and the brain to another, the connection is rarely made, and people manage years of digestive trouble without anyone joining it to the rest.

We look at the gut as part of the whole picture, because the gut-brain link is real and often overlooked. None of this is a diagnosis, and we are not here to replace your other doctors. It is what we explore with you.

Written by Dr Asad RaffiConsultant Psychiatrist · Founder & Medical Director