Treatment for IBS

Understanding about IBS may help you to be less anxious about the condition, which may ease the severity of symptoms. In some cases, symptoms are mild and do not require any treatment. If symptoms are more troublesome or frequent, one or more of the following may help.

Foods, Drinks and Lifestyle
The foods that are most commonly reported to cause IBS symptoms are: wheat (in bread and cereals), rye, barley, dairy products, coffee (and other caffeine-rich drinks such as tea and cola), and onions.

Some people report an improvement in symptoms when they cut down from drinking a lot of alcohol, or stop smoking if they smoke. Regular exercise may also help to ease symptoms. Stress and other emotional factors may trigger symptoms in some people.

Treating Constipation
Constipation is sometimes a main symptom of IBS. If so, it often helps to eat foods with plenty of fibre, and to drink plenty (two litres of fluids per day or more - to keep the stools moist). Fibre (roughage) is the part of the food which is not absorbed into the body. It remains in your gut, and is a main part of the stools. You can eat plenty of fibre by eating plenty of fruit, vegetables, cereals, fruit juice, wholemeal bread, etc.

Treating Diarrhea
An anti-diarrhoea medicine may be useful if diarrhoea is a main symptom. Loperamide is the most commonly used anti-diarrhoea medicine for IBS. You can buy this at pharmacies (but it is quite expensive). You can also get it on prescription which may be more cost effective if you need to take it regularly.

Antispasmodic Medicines
These are medicines that relax the muscles in the wall of the gut. Your doctor may advise one if you have spasm-type pains. There are several types of antispasmodics, and they work in slightly different ways.

Antidepressant Medicines
An antidepressant medicine in the 'tricyclic' group is sometimes used to treat IBS. In particular, it tends to work best if pain and diarrhoea are the main symptoms.
Psychological treatments

Situations such as family problems, work stress, exams, recurring thoughts of previous abuse, etc, may trigger symptoms of IBS in some people. People with anxious personalities may find symptoms difficult to control. The relationship between the mind, brain, nervous impulses, and overactivity of internal organs such as the gut is complex. Some people have found such things as relaxation techniques, stress counselling, cognitive behaviour therapy, psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, and similar therapies useful in controlling symptoms of IBS.

Other Treatments
Various alternative and complimentary therapies are sometimes used. For example, studies have shown that certain chinese herbal medicines, and probiotics such as Lactobacillus plantarum LP01 and Bifidocterium breve BR0 may help to ease symptoms in some cases. However, more research is needed to clarify their role and usefulness.