Popular treatments for irritable bowel syndrome
Living in the 21st century is a privilege for us since we can now protect ourselves from the various serious ailments that had, unfortunately, claimed lots of lives in the earlier centuries. However, even though we can boast of unforeseen developments in the field of science and technology, there are instances when the man had to accept nature’s supremacy.
There are ailments one suffers from, whose cause are still a mystery and if one does discover the causes of the ailment, figuring out the treatment would require ounces of patience. One such disorder is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The causes of the IBS are unknown, but it is treatable. One can diagnose that they are suffering from IBS, when the related symptoms surface. The symptoms of IBS include diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, alternating diarrhea, and constipation, bloating, etc.
IBS cannot be fully cured, instead doctors focus on treating the causes of IBS. So, here are the popular treatments for treating the causes of IBS, which would enable the patients to lead a normal life.
Changes in your diet- A faulty diet can also result in the person suffering from IBS. So, your doctor would make certain changes in your daily diet. The first step would be to eliminate food that causes gas. Then, gluten would be eliminated from your diet. This step helps in reducing the severity of diarrhea, one of the symptoms of IBS.
Include fiber supplements- Fiber supplements such as psyllium (Metamucil) or methylcellulose (Citrucel), along with fluids, would be included in your diet. This would help in controlling constipation, one of the symptoms of IBS.
Anti-diarrheal drugs- Diarrhea is one of the most severe symptoms that causes great unease to the patient. Drugs such as loperamide can help control diarrhea. Medications known as bile acid binders are also helpful in controlling diarrhea but are known to cause bloating.
Antispasmodics- Severe abdominal pain is a characteristic symptom of IBS. The pain is excruciating and it can occur in any part of the abdomen. The doctor would prescribe certain antispasmodic drugs that can relieve you from your abdominal pain.
Probiotics and Antibiotics- There are proofs that healthy bacteria can help conquer the symptoms of IBS, thus, probiotics might help in bringing the symptoms under control. But, at times, the causes of the symptoms of IBS can be intensified by the presence of bad bacteria, thus, the antibiotics.
IBS cannot be cured fully, but the above-mentioned drugs can surely restrain the symptoms of IBS and can help you lead a somewhat normal life.