Lifestyle Medicine · Published 2026-07-01 · DOI 10.1002/lim2.70069
Subhankar Chakraborty
ABSTRACT Background Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) such as abdominal pain, distension, and altered bowel movements are common in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) and often significantly impair one's quality of life (QOL). Current treatment options often provide inadequate symptom relief in FD. Breathing exercises have shown promise in improving QOL in many chronic conditions but have not been investigated in FD. Methods The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of two different techniques for breathing exercises— written instructions for diaphragmatic breathing (WIDB) and device‐guided breathing (DGB) on symptoms of IBS in patients with FD. Adults experiencing moderate or severe degree of ≥1 FD symptom and at least moderate/severe anxiety and/or depression based on the HADS questionnaire were enrolled from 2022 through 2025. They were randomized to either DGB or WIDB. Both groups were instructed to practice breathing exercises for 3 min, three times daily for 6 weeks. GI symptoms and QOL were assessed using validated questionnaires. Results 55 participants were randomized (30 DGB and 25 WIDB) and completed at least one weekly survey. After 6 weeks, 13 participants (27.7%) experienced a ≥ 50% reduction in IBS symptoms measured by the IBS‐SSS questionnaire—nine (39.1%) in the DGB and four (16.7%) in the WIDB group (p = 0.11). Specifically, the severity of abdominal distension and the impact of abdominal symptoms on QOL improved while abdominal pain and satisfaction with bowel movements did not. Older age, lower baseline IBS‐SSS score, and lower severity of anxiety and depression were associated with the likelihood of response. Conclusion Brief breathing exercises improved scores for abdominal distension and the impact of GI symptoms on QOL in FD patients without a significant change in abdominal pain or satisfaction with bowel movements. These findings need validation in larger studies.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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Chakraborty, S. (2026). Comparing the Effect of Written and Biofeedback Device‐Guided Breathing Exercises on the Severity of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Symptoms. Lifestyle Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1002/lim2.70069