Clinical Treatments for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder in the large intestine, which brings about bloating, gas, cramps, and abdominal pain along with diarrhea or constipation.

When you have a persistent change of bowel habits along with the symptoms mentioned earlier, see a doctor. Several tests will be recommended, including a study of the stool to determine the infection, tests to check malabsorption of nutrients, and other symptoms that point towards IBS. The treatment prescribed may help improve and eliminate all the symptoms.

People with IBS face anxiety and depression. Panic disorders and, in some cases, suicidal tendencies have been recorded as well. People with IBS need to avoid stress and things that trigger the onset of an attack.

1. Start a food journal
Since food affects people in different ways, it is best to maintain a record of food consumed so that it is easier to determine what triggers IBS. Your doctor will advise you to avoid the trigger foods to prevent the symptoms. Fiber improves constipation and diarrhea but brings about bloating. Doctors use this judiciously to control symptoms. A good intake of water at regular intervals is advised.

2. Consider an antibiotic
The usual treatment is by changing the structure of bacteria in your intestines and stopping its growth. An antibiotic like rifaximin, sold under different trade names, treats bacterial infections and is administered to decrease the frequency of diarrhea caused by the common bacteria E.coli. A two-week course should relieve symptoms for as long as six months. If there is a recurrence, it can be treated again. Loperamide is also used to reduce the incidence of diarrhea, but it will not help other symptoms like belly pain or swelling.

3. Bulking agents
Bulking agents are non-nutritive substances that help the slow movement of food through the digestive system. This will relieve some symptoms.

4. Antidepressants
Some who go through IBS do not have the patience for drugs to take effect and, in the process, get into symptomatic depression. They are given antidepressants. Antidepressants are used only to treat an underlying cause for the period until the person overcomes the situation.

5. Antispasmodics
Bloating, which gives a feeling of fullness, which is accompanied by abdominal pain. Antispasmodics that control colon spasms are administered to treat and control muscle spasms that cause belly pain.

6. Probiotics
Probiotics are also recommended to help digestive problems. They are basically live bacteria and yeast is normally recommended to help digestive problems.

7. Manage your stress
Stress management is largely recommended to take care of people with IBS. Meditation, enough sleep, having a balanced diet, and regular exercise can help contain stress. On an extension to that, listening to music, going for a walk, or reading can help, too. Behavioral therapy seems to help in ways of dealing with pain and stress.

IBS, a complex condition, is not linked to any physiological abnormality, despite the role of transmitters in the brain-gut axis.