Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder that affects the large intestine. Signs and symptoms include cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea or constipation, or both. IBS is a chronic condition that you'll need to manage long term.
Only a small number of people with IBS have severe signs and symptoms. Some people can control their symptoms by managing diet, lifestyle, and stress. More-severe symptoms can be treated with medication and counselings.
IBS doesn't cause changes in bowel tissue or increase your risk of colorectal cancer.
Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of IBS vary. The most common include:
Abdominal pain, cramping or bloating that is typically relieved or partially relieved by passing a bowel movement
Excess gas
Diarrhea or constipation sometimes alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation
Mucus in the stool
IBS And Mental Health
So what can you do to reduce stress and anxiety?
People deal with stress in different ways. It’s important to find something that works for you, whether that’s reading, running, or doing a yoga class.
Find time to relax
Whatever you choose, try to incorporate it into your daily routine. This is one of the most effective ways to stop stress from gradually increasing until it becomes a problem.
Improve your sleep routine
“Lots of people sleep poorly, and that has a significant impact on the way your bowels function. It’s all very well me saying you just need to get eight hours of sleep every night, because in reality that is really difficult.
To help make sure you get a good night’s sleep try to go to bed at the same time each night and avoid bright lights, including your mobile phone, before bed.
Include exercise into your daily life
“Exercise is good for IBS for a number of reasons as firstly it has effects on gut motility and function. Plus, the more exercise you do the better you will sleep which has positive benefits on the way our brains and our guts both communicate with each other.
Treatment
Your doctor may recommend one or a combination of the following treatments:
- Fiber supplements or laxatives to decrease constipation.
- Antispasmodic medication to control muscle spasms in the colon and reduce abdominal pain.
- Antidepressants to help minimize symptoms of anxiety and depression.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy to learn how to cope with anxiety and depression. The British Society of Gastroenterology recommends psychological therapy as the first-line treatment for IBS when the patient has a history of anxiety, panic attacks, or depression. The American College of Gastroenterology also recommends therapy and says it can reduce both anxiety and IBS symptoms in some patients.
- Find a therapist near you.
- Relaxation techniques to reduce stress.
- Diet changes. For some, that may mean avoiding dairy products or carbonated beverages, which can aggravate symptoms. For others, that may mean increasing dietary fiber, which can relieve constipation, or eating smaller meals more often instead of two or three large meals, which can cause cramping.
- Alosetrin hydrochloride (brand name is Lotronex) specifically treats IBS and has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for women. Rifagut ( generic rifaximin) is also best medication to treat IBS. This medication is recommended only when over-the-counter medication and therapy are not effective, and when the primary symptom is diarrhea. If you want this med then you can checkout safe generic pharmacy site. Side effects can be serious and include decreased blood flow to the colon and severe constipation. Lubiprostone (brand name is Amitiza) is also approved by the FDA but only for adult women with IBS and constipation. Side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. There are no FDA-approved medications for men for the treatment of IBS.
