Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic gastrointestinal tract disorder affects the large intestine. Some of the symptoms are discomfort in the abdominal area, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. Although these symptoms might feel severe to people living with IBS, it is not considered to be a serious disorder because it does not cause any damage to the intestinal area. There are several types of treatment available to IBS patients. Some of the best IBS remedies are a diet change, medication and homeopathic remedies.
One of the best IBS remedies is a change in diet. Certain foods such as dairy products and vegetables have been found to cause a reaction when consumed by an individual with IBS. In order to reduce these types of reactions, physicians recommend cutting these types of trigger foods completely from the diet. Adding foods that are high in fiber, whole grains and bran to the diet might help some IBS patients with symptoms such as constipation.
Medications often are used as IBS remedies. In addition to diet changes, a physician might recommend different brands of over-the-counter medications or prescription medications. Most of these medications are given to help provide relief from IBS symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain. Antibiotics also might be prescribed in order to fight off any type of bacterial infection. Although medications might help with the symptoms, individuals should be aware that some of these prescription medications might have some side effects.
Homeopathic remedies have become one of the more popular IBS remedies. Under the direct of an alternative medicine specialist, more IBS patients are starting to use natural remedies such as probiotics, meditation and herbs. Probiotics, which can be found in dairy products such as yogurt, are considered to be healthy bacteria and is used to replace the bad bacteria in the intestine. Meditation often is used to relieve stress, which might act as a trigger for IBS. Some of the popular types of meditation are yoga and walking.
Individuals with IBS should be able to live a healthy normal life with the proper treatment. If a person believes that he or she is experiencing IBS symptoms, he or she should see a physician for testing. After running a series of tests, a physician should be able to provide detailed information regarding treatments. Some treatments might work better for some people than for others, so it might take some time to find the right one.
