Expert's Reply
A.
DietDoc
Dear Lin
I can only give you advice on the dietary treatment of spastic colon or irritable bowel disease (IBS). For specific pain medication, you would have to ask your physician or pharmacist for advice. If you can control your IBS by means of diet, stress reduction and probiotics, this should of course reduce any pain you may be suffering too. Two of the most important factors in IBS are a lack of dietary fibre and stress. To increase your dietary fibre intake and obtain tips about this condition, click on ‘Diet & Nutrition’ at the top of this page, ‘You are what you eat’ and “Healthy GI tract’. Read the articles on ‘Probiotics’ too because the use of ‘good microorganisms’ can help a lot in IBS. Try Bifidoflora which you can buy at health shops. If you suffer from flatulence and bloating, you will have to experiment with the foods you eat that may cause problems with a spastic colon (raw onions, garlic, cucumber, green peppers, very spicy foods and condiments, gas-cold drinks, fruits that contain pips such as guavas, figs, etc). This is often an individual reaction and you will have to keep a food diary to see what foods cause this problem and then cut them out. If you find that this is a problem for you, please consult a registered dietitian who will work out a specific diet for your condition. (Visit the Association for Dietetics in SA Website at: www.adsa.org.za and click on "Find a Dietitian" to find a dietitian in your area). Your doctor will also be able to prescribe medicines which can relieve the flatulence such as Bevispas, so chat to your doctor about such medications.
To relieve stress I would recommend that you should learn relaxing techniques, how to do deep breathing exercises and some form of physical exercise which is also relaxing, such as yoga. Going for brisk walks in the fresh air also helps to relieve tension.
Best regards
DietDoc
The information provided does not constitute a diagnosis of your condition. You should consult a medical practitioner or other appropriate health care professional for a physical exmanication, diagnosis and formal
advice. Health24 and the expert accept no responsibility or liability for any damage or person harm you may suffer resulting from making use of this content.