Although irritable bowel syndrome is one of the more common diseases of the digestive system, there is no single treatment regimen. Find out which medications and herbs are used to alleviate discomfort caused by an irritable bowel.
The treatment of irritable bowel syndromeis selected individually, depending on the symptoms and their frequency. In the first phase, non-pharmacological methods are used, such as changing the diet and psychotherapy.
Irritable bowel syndrome treatment depends on symptoms
If you suffer from diarrhea, you should limit the amount of fiber in your diet, as well as starch, oligosaccharides, sorbitol and lactose, and exclude preservatives that aggravate symptoms, e.g. monosodium glutamate.
In people with constipation, introduce a high-residual diet (30-50 g of dietary fiber daily) and plenty of fluids (up to 3 liters during the day).
In the mixed form of IBS, the diet should be adjusted to the current state. Changing the diet is effective when specific ingredients contribute to the exacerbation of the disease symptoms. On the other hand, changing the lifestyle, psychological help or spa treatment are to eliminate the psychosomatic causes of the disease.
Drugs for the treatment of irritable bowel
When non-pharmacological methods are ineffective or when symptoms are severe, drugs affecting the intestinal motility are used - anti-diarrheal or laxatives, painkillers, spasmolytic drugs, anti-flatulence drugs, as well as sedatives and antidepressants. Unfortunately, it is not possible to completely eliminate the causes of the disease, mainly because they are neither clear nor fully defined, therefore usually the second therapeutic route is to alleviate the various symptoms of IBS.
Symptomatic treatment also depends on the type of ailment: in the case of diarrhea, the following is used:
- drugs that regulate intestinal motility, have an anti-diarrheal effect, e.g. loperamide (Stoperan)
- painkillers / antidepressants
- anti-flatulence medications
Treatment for constipation involves the use of
- laxatives - osmotic
- herbal laxatives, e.g. with senna
- probiotic drugs
- painkillers / antidepressants
In the mixed form of IBS, the therapy should be periodically adjusted to the current state.