Why does IBS flare up when traveling?

During travel, people tend to have higher stress levels and changes in their daily patterns. They may also eat different foods than usual. Any one or a combination of these factors could trigger an IBS flare in some individuals.



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Acute infectious diarrhea associated with travel (i.e., travelers' diarrhea) has been identified as an important risk factor for the development of initial-onset IBS.

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5 Tips to Survive a Road Trip with IBS
  1. Try to Stay Cool. If you're traveling in the summer, try to stay as cool as possible. ...
  2. Dress Comfortably and Bring Spare Clothes. Pick your travel clothes carefully. ...
  3. Bring Safe Snacks and Drinks. You can't have a road trip without snacks! ...
  4. Build In Some Breaks. ...
  5. Pack an Emergency Kit.


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Traveling by plane can be difficult for those who suffer from bowel symptoms. Ask to sit as close to the restroom as possible. Also, sit on an aisle for easy and fast access so you will not have to ask others to move. When planning your trip, consider driving if possible.

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For instance, flying is often a triple whammy — stress, dehydration and pressure changes are a recipe for experiencing constipation while traveling if you're not careful, especially if you're already prone to it.

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It's possible that traveler's diarrhea may stem from the stress of traveling or a change in diet. But usually infectious agents — such as bacteria, viruses or parasites — are to blame. You typically develop traveler's diarrhea after ingesting food or water contaminated with organisms from feces.

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Typically, this occurs due to how traveling may disrupt the body's natural rhythm. For example, time changes, altered eating schedules, and insufficient sleep and activity levels can all affect digestion. As such, travel is a common cause of constipation.

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Learn some ways to treat travelers' diarrhea
  1. Drink lots of fluids. If you get diarrhea, drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated. ...
  2. Take over-the-counter drugs. Several drugs, such as loperamide, can be bought over-the-counter to treat the symptoms of diarrhea. ...
  3. Only take antibiotics if needed.


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Most cases of TD are the result of bacterial infection and are short-lived and self-limited. In addition to immunosuppression and sequential infection with diarrheal pathogens, ongoing infection with protozoan parasites can cause prolonged diarrheal symptoms.

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Research suggest that most humans poop fairly regularly in the morning, and rarely do so at night. Traveling to a different time zone and/or experiencing jet lag can shift your usual schedule forward or back by several hours, which may mess with the usual restroom routine.

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