Irritable bowel syndrome is one of the most common GI issues in all of South Africa. What makes it confusing is that it will manifest differently in people, depending on their issues. For some, irritable bowel syndrome causes painful constipation and bowel movements. For others, it will cause diarrhoea, stomach cramps, and other abdominal issues related to things passing too quickly through your GI tract.
Regardless of the nature of your irritable bowel syndrome, it’s usually not overly serious. It is, however, uncomfortable, and painful, and can make eating and drinking difficult knowing that you’re going to have stomach issues later. Therefore, it is important to seek a professional diagnosis if your irritable bowel syndrome is out of control so that you can start a treatment plan.
Irritable bowel syndrome results from when you have digestive and GI issues that often stem from having poor gut and bowel health. Because your bowel and gut health is directly related to your diet, one of the first things you should do for irritable bowel syndrome is make dietary changes.
While a nutritionist or dietician can make a precise meal plan for you, you can also make changes on your own. In general, you can mitigate IBS by doing the following:
On top of making dietary changes, it can also be helpful if you make certain lifestyle changes that will improve your gut and bowel health.
If lifestyle and dietary changes are not solving your irritable bowel syndrome issues, you may need medications and supplements.
Dietary supplements, such as probiotics and fibre pills, are commonly used to help firm up your stool and help it pass easier through your system.
In many instances, irritable bowel syndrome can happen as a result of depression, stress, or anxiety. If this is the case, your doctor will prescribe antidepressants, including SSRIs, SNRIs, or tricyclics.
Depending on the nature of your IBS symptoms, you may receive laxatives to help with constipation or antidiarrheals to create firmer stool and prevent diarrhoea.
Finally, anticholinergics, such as dicyclomine, are helpful in relaxing the colon and preventing bowel spasms.
As with all drugs, medications for irritable bowel syndrome can have unwanted side effects.
Side effects will vary depending on the specific medication and dosage.
In addition to medications, dietary changes, and lifestyle modifications, there are some alternative therapies you can try if you struggle with IBS. Psychotherapy and counselling, for example, have recently started getting used in treatment for irritable bowel syndrome. Recent studies have shown that the bowels and nervous system are closely connected, which means that if you are stressed or anxious, it will often cause bowel distress in the form of IBS.
Additional therapies, such as acupuncture and massage therapy have also been found to help with irritable bowel syndrome.
While irritable bowel syndrome typically is not life-threatening or increases your risk of colon cancer and other serious health problems, it can be painful, uncomfortable, and make life unenjoyable. Therefore, it is important to watch out for IBS symptoms and talk to a medical professional so that you can start treatment for your condition.