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How is IBS treated?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or spastic colon, can be extremely painful and debilitating. Fortunately, there are effective ways of managing it.

Treatment
Various medications have long been used to treat IBS symptoms. These include:

• Bulking agents and stool softeners for constipation
• Antidiarrhoeals for diarrhoea
• Antispasmodics for pain – or stronger opiates in severe cases

Other therapies are currently being explored. These involve drugs that affect serotonin levels, drugs that increase fluid secretion in the gut, anti-inflammatories and antibiotics.

Probiotics prove valuable to some people, and many report that peppermint-oil capsules give relief from abdominal pain, bloating and gas.

Lifestyle
Physical exercise definitely improves symptoms, especially constipation.

Stress should be avoided where possible. Cognitive behavioural therapy may be effective in some cases, teaching you to cope more effectively with stressful situations that may trigger IBS.

Good eating habits are important:

• There are quite a few “gas-forming” foods that can be excluded from the diet, e.g. legumes, dry beans, peas, lentils, soya, raw onions, cabbage, fatty foods, citrus fruits, oats, nuts, visible fibre, avocado pears, coconut and yeast-containing products.

• A high-fibre diet can help with constipation.

• Some IBS patients respond very well to a gluten-free diet: this is called non-coeliac gluten intolerance.

• Fresh vegetables in the diet, with their rich content of dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals and other protective nutrients, may reduce the incidence of bowel disease.

Try to develop good eating and lifestyle habits as early as possible – especially if you come from a family with a history of bowel disease.

When to see a doctor
Many people with IBS simply put up with their discomfort or use home remedies to treat it. However, if you experience symptoms, or if symptoms you’ve had for a long time suddenly change, you should consult a doctor. There may be treatment available – or you may be suffering from a different, undiagnosed disorder.

A gastroenterologist can do tests to rule out other conditions, and prescribe appropriate medication for your symptoms. A dietician can assist you with the correct diet, cutting out foods that trigger IBS and including foods that ease the digestive process.

If you need assistance in controlling your stress, your doctor may also refer you to a clinical psychologist.
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