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Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Conventional and Alternative Treatments
Conventional medicine
has little in the way of actual treatment for IBS. The most your health care practitioner can do is to help
alleviate and control your symptoms. The
medical community has no cure for IBS.
For mild cases of IBS, it’s relatively easy to control the symptoms of this chronic disease. Most people find that learning how to manage their stress and making alterations in their diets and lifestyle provide immense relief.The challenge in treatment
comes, so it appears,
when your symptoms are moderate or severe.
Your IBS may need more help than just a few lifestyle changes can
provide.
When you visit your
health care practitioner for IBS, she’ll no doubt offer some – if not
all – of these suggestions.
Take fiber supplements daily.
Psyllium based supplements like Metamucil or Citrucel taken with
fluids may help control the constipation associated with IBS.
Don’t be afraid to try an anti-diarrheal medication.
There are plenty of over-the-counter medications for this problem.
You may want to try one that contains loperamide.
All you need to do is read the label to see if this ingredient is
included.
Don’t eat foods that give you gas.
Okay, so this may seem a little obvious. It’s still crucial to say.
If you have bloating or you pass significant amounts of gas following
consumption of certain foods, stay away from them as much as possible.
Some people discover that this means cutting out a whole category of
foods including raw fruits and vegetables, salads, cabbage, broccoli,
cauliflower – as well as carbonated beverages.
Your health care
practitioner may prescribe an anticholinergic medication.
These drugs work on certain activities of the nervous system to help
relieve bowel spasms.
If your symptoms
include pain or an accompanying depression, there are a number of routes
your health care practitioner may take to help you.
He may decide to prescribe you a tricyclic antidepressant or a
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.
These medications work
in two ways. First, they help
to relieve your depression. But
they also inhibit the activity of neurons that control your intestines.
Tricyclic
antidepressants are especially useful at relieving diarrhea and abdominal
pain. These drugs include
imipramine and amitriptyline. They,
though, have been known to produce side effects.
Some of the more common ones are drowsiness and constipation.
Some individuals find
that counseling helps them with the daily stresses in their life that
aggravate their IBS. If you
believe that you might benefit from this, your health care practitioner may
help you find a professional in this area.
There is only one drug
that is available to treat the symptoms of IBS. That’s alosetron, sold under the brand name of Lotronex.
It’s a nerve receptor antagonist.
This means that it relaxes the colon and then slows the movement of
waste through the lower bowel.
However, this
medication carries severe side effects.
At one time it was taken off the market due to it being linked to at
least two deaths and severe side effects in at least 113 other people.
Only doctors who are enrolled in a special IBS program can prescribe
this medication. It is,
additionally, only intended for the most severe cases of
diarrhea-predominant IBS in woman who haven’t responded to any other
treatment. Alosetron has not been approved for use by men.
IBS: Complementary and Alternative Treatments
While the medical
community seems at a loss to treat IBS, that doesn’t mean that there
aren’t several natural methods that help provide relief from this chronic
condition.
Many individuals say
that undergoing the ancient Chinese treatment of acupuncture helps them.
The therapy, they explain, helps to relax the muscle spasms of this
disorder and helps to improve bowel function.
If you’re not
familiar with acupuncture it’s a treatment based on the natural meridians
of your body. An acupuncturist
uses very slim, small needles and places them along certain pathways of your
body. Depending on the pathways
chosen, this treatment helps to alleviate various symptoms.
Others use products
that are referred to as probiotics.
These are the “good” bacteria that normally live in your
intestines. They’re found in
some foods, especially yogurt, as well as some dietary supplements.
The theory is that
individuals with IBS may be lacking in the amount of good bacteria their
systems have. Adding probiotics
to the body may help to relieve your IBS-related symptoms. There have been several studies that have shown that
probiotics can actually help reduce their severity.
Still many other people
find relief through the use of herbal remedies.
One of the best is peppermint. A
natural antispasmodic, it works by relaxing the smoother muscles of the
intestines. If you decide to use this herb as a supplement, be sure to
buy the enteric-coated capsules.
One of the side effects
of peppermint for some people is heartburn. If you find this occurs, you may want to try a different
herbal remedy.
Many suffering with IBS
choose chamomile as an alternative for alleviating their symptoms.
This legendary herb is renowned for its ability to soothe the
digestive tract. It’s also a
noted anti-spasmodic. Chamomile
can be taken as a tea or as a capsule.
You may also want to
try the herb ginger. This has
long been noted by professional herbalists to relieve a variety of
gastrointestinal problems. Ginger,
additionally, helps to improve the muscles of the intestines.
This herb also possesses some anti-inflammatory properties.
Before starting on any
supplement program with herbs, you want to be sure to check with your health
care professional. He’ll be
able to tell you if any of the herbs you’re planning on taking will
interfere with any of your current prescription medications.
Additionally, it’s
also a good idea to consult a professional herbalist prior to choosing an
herbal regimen. She may also be able to provide you with even more
alternatives in this area that may relieve your specific symptoms of IBS.
Since stress has the
potential to play a vital role in the severity of your symptoms, you may
want to discover a way to manage your stress without the use of drugs.
You may find that meditation helps you to tolerate the ups and downs
of your life a little better. Many
individuals find relieve in self-hypnosis.
Still others discover the calming effects of yoga for both the body
and the mind.
Any of these activities
can be self taught. Or you can
join classes to learn the basics of these therapies.
All of these require a certain amount of discipline.
The benefits, many individuals discover, though are really worth the
effort.
Note: Some statements in this article may not be approved by the FDA. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional medical advice.
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