Irritable Bowel Syndrome Relief Treatments

A person, who suffers from irritable bowel syndrome, primarily suffers from one of three symptoms.

1. Diarrhea
2. Alteration of diarrhea and constipation
3. Constipation

Although, it is less common for a person with IBS to suffer from predominant constipation than diarrhea, for those who do, there are ways to find relief from constipation, abdominal pain and bloating.

There are different treatment options - both medicinal and alternative remedies -for those who suffer from constipation.  The following is information regarding diverse treatments and what you need to know about each.

Diet
Constipation symptoms may be caused by specific foods that are being ingested.  Therefore, try keeping a food diary to find out what foods may not only be making constipation worse, but may help to relieve your symptoms. 

For instance, gluten is recognized as one of the leading causes of constipation in IBS sufferers.  Therefore, a gluten-free diet may help alleviate symptoms.  In order to eliminate gluten from your diet ensure you read food labels to see if gluten is among listed ingredients.  However, keep in mind that gluten-free foods tend to be low in fiber.  Therefore, you may require other sources of fiber such as eating more fruits and vegetables.

If you are considering a gluten-free diet it’s a good idea to consult a dietitian to find out how effective this diet control is for constipation.

Fiber supplements
Fiber supplements are designed to add bulk to the stool so that waste can travel faster through the intestines.  That being said fiber supplements need to be taken with great care, as problems can occur.

For instance, inundating the boy with fiber without sufficient water intake, can cause bloating, gas and make constipation worse.  It is imperative to drink plenty of water when taking fiber supplements because fiber absorbs water.  

Furthermore, natural fiber sources, such as bran, can aggravate the stomach of an IBS sufferer.  This is because bran contains high amounts of wheat and gluten which are not tolerated well by an IBS stomach.

Nonetheless, the right fiber supplement taken as recommended may be helpful in relieving constipation in some sufferers.  Fiber supplements such as Metamucil, Konsyl or Citrucel can be found in pharmacies, but it is a good idea to talk to your doctor first and learn more about supplements before starting treatment.

Laxatives
Laxatives are an effective short-term solution for relieving constipation.  However, there are different types of laxatives and some are stronger than others.  Although laxatives may work in the body differently, depending on the type, each is designed to soften stool so it can slide easier through the intestines.  One such laxative that is often recommended to IBS sufferers is milk of magnesia.  This is a gentle laxative that is known as a hydrating agent and causes the intestines to retain more water to soften stool.

Laxatives are not recommended for long-term use and can be habit forming.  If laxatives are taken for long periods of time, the body will eventually develop immunity and require stronger laxative methods.  Prolonged used of laxatives can also make constipation worse and make the body laxative-dependent. Furthermore, be advised that stimulant laxatives such as Ex-lax are powerful and very hard on the system.

Make sure you investigate different over-the-counter laxative products, and speak to your doctor about laxative treatment before using this remedy.

Prescription drugs
Consider talking to you doctor about prescription medication for relief of constipation.  Zelnorm is one of the newer drug treatments for IBS constipation and works by increasing stool movement in the bowels.  Zelnorm has been found to effectively alleviate abdominal pain, bloating and constipation, and is only prescribed for short-term use.

Finally, regular exercise and drinking plenty of water helps to relieve constipation, and are natural remedies that can be used with any form of constipation treatment.
 
If you’re interested in a new approach to IBS treatment take a look at this book -A New IBS Solution. It’s written by an MD and offers a revolutionary look at the way Irritable Bowel Syndrome is currently being treated. Click here for more information on ‘A New IBS Solution’. Jeffrey Roberts, founder of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Association, had this to say about the book, “He does an admirable job at explaining the background for this new theory, along with treatment options. After reading this book you are more than likely going to want to discuss its findings with your own physician.”
 

Acupuncture is becoming one of the more popular alternative and complimentary therapies used by IBS sufferers to help alleviate symptoms.  Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medicine that is designed to restore health by improving and bringing balance to qi - the body’s natural energy flow.  Acupuncture works to restore the proper function of organs, muscles, glands, nerves and vessels.

How can acupuncture improve IBS symptoms?  Acupuncture is recognized as being an effective therapy for treating the following conditions which are often symptoms of IBS:
• Muscle cramps
• Abdominal pain
• Constipation
• Diarrhea

In addition, acupuncture effectively reduces stress and other negative issues that often cause IBS symptoms to occur.  Some of these include:
• Nervousness
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
• Menstrual cramps

As was previously mentioned, acupuncture is based on improving and brining balance to qi that flows through all of the 14 unseen channels in the body known as meridians.  A person with IBS usually has a deficiency of qi in the spleen, lung, liver, kidney and large intestine meridians, so these are the areas that will likely be targeted during an acupuncture session.  That being said, you need to understand that each person is treated differently depending on where their discomfort is located.

In order to help improve the qi flow within the targeted meridians, tiny, solid, disposable needles are individually inserted into specific acupoints within the body.  How deep the needles are inserted depends on the thickness of the muscle.  Acupoints (trigger points), are precise points of the body where the meridians surface has deeply penetrated into the tissues and organs.

The insertion of the needle is usually painless and is a sensation often described as a mosquito bite. Most people only feel a slight achy or numbing feeling in the targeted area. 

After the needle has been inserted, they may be twirled or connected to an electrical current to help stimulate the targeted meridian.  Needles may be left in between 20 – 60 minutes.  All sensations that are experienced during an acupuncture session disappear with the removal of the needles.

Aside from acupuncture needles, another popular technique that acupuncturists use for IBS is moxibustion.  This is a method in which mugwort herb is burned over precise acupoints.  Moxibustion is used because it is believed to penetrate deeper into the body than the needles.

Although Chinese medicine believes that acupuncture is successful at relieving symptoms due to reestablishing balance to qi, Western medicine believe that acupuncture treatment causes inflammation in the body, which causes it to release natural pain killing hormones - endorphins.  Despite what the actual truth may be, it is clear that for many IBS sufferers, acupuncture has provided them relief from abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, constipation and diarrhea.

Acupuncture is a safe alternative treatment for most people, but you should discuss acupuncture treatment with your doctor first before engaging in the therapy.  You should also know that it often takes several acupuncture sessions before a person begins to feel relief from their symptoms.  Finally, make sure you seek treatment from a qualified and experienced acupuncturist.

If you are looking for more information on IBS and acupuncture please visit NaturalIrritableBowelSyndromeRelief.com.

Managing stress in your life is a great way to help get your negative emotions under control, but unfortunately, stress is only one of many IBS causes.  In fact, research that has been conducted over the past few years has found that IBS may also be related to Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO).

What is SIBO?  It is an overgrowth of bacteria that naturally occurs in the small intestine.  The small intestine contains a small amount of bacteria that is essential to the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.  However, when too much bacteria exists, problems such as fat malabsorption occur.  In addition, it also stops carbohydrates from being absorbed, leaving them to rot in the intestines causing a number of unpleasant and often foul-smelling symptoms including bloating, pain, gas, mucus in stools and diarrhea.

Bacterial overgrowth can lead to nutrient deficiencies, food allergies and digestive enzymes that barely function.  It is a common condition that usually goes undetected for years, even when symptoms are present.  Why?  Most people who have chronic digestive problems and have bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation are typically diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome.  Doctors rarely consider bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine as the problem. 

What causes bacterial overgrowth?  There are many different factors that can lead to SIBO.  Some of the following conditions that could cause an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine include:
• Reduction of motility in the small intestine – condition caused by too much dietary sugar and chronic stress.  This condition can also occur from diabetes, scleroderma and hypothyroidism.
• Structural abnormalities within the small intestine – abnormalities may be caused by small intestinal diverticula, gastric bypass surgery, and intestinal obstruction. etc.
• Hypochlorhydria – As people age, they produce less stomach acid.  Stomach acid helps to eliminate bacteria in the small intestine.  Thus, if there is a decline, the acid won’t be able to eliminate enough of the bacteria.
• Other causes – stress, prolonged use of steroids, antibiotics, antacids, birth control pills and other medications, immune deficiency, pancreatic enzyme deficiency and a diet insufficient in fiber.
Are IBS and SIBO related?
One study that was conducted by researches at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in California involved 202 participants with IBS.  Each participant was tested for bacterial overgrowth with a lactulose breath hydrogen test.  A person with bacterial overgrowth produces high levels of methane or hydrogen gas.  The lactulose hydrogen test analyses the gas in breath, and is the best test for diagnosing SIBO.

At the end of the study it was found that of the 202 participants, 157 tested positive for SIBO.  When the 157 people that were diagnosed with SIBO were treated for the condition, and the extra bacteria within their intestine were eliminated, 48% of them had an improvement in their IBS symptoms.

Although it has been found that bacterial overgrowth and IBS can co-exist, researchers are still determining whether or not IBS symptoms are caused by SIBO.  Some theories suggest that the high levels of methane or hydrogen gas that are caused by the overgrowth of bacteria produce IBS symptoms.    However, the theories are yet to be proved.

How do you treat SIBO?
Excess bacteria are eliminated through the use of antibiotics.  Unfortunately, although antibiotics can control bacteria overgrowth it isn’t a cure.  Like IBS, SIBO symptoms often return when medication is ceased.  Thus, antibiotic treatment is often a continuous process.

If you think you may have SIBO, talk to your doctor about taking a lactulose hydrogen test.  If you find that SIBO is related to your IBS causes, or even if it’s not, it is a good idea to look into other alternative and complimentary forms of therapy to treat your symptoms such as acupuncture aside from medications.

Want to learn more about IBS causes? Then please visit NaturalIrritableBowelSyndromeRelief.com and sign up for a free newsletter.