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What is I.B.S. (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)?
by: Bunny Vreeland, Ph.D

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a disorder characterized most commonly by cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. IBS causes a great deal of discomfort and distress, but it does not permanently harm the intestines and does not lead to a serious disease, such as cancer. Most people can control their symptoms with diet, stress management, and prescribed medications. For some people, however, IBS can be disabling. They may be unable to work, attend social events, or even travel short distances.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS is the most common gastrointestinal disorder seen by GI Doctors. IBS may affect up to 20 percent of Americans, or 54 million people. IBS appears fairly equally in people of all races, but it tends to affect women more than men, in fact three times as many, however, men may be less likely to report the problem.

The onset of IBS usually begins to occur in late adolescence or in early adult life. It rarely appears for the first time after age 50. For many, the condition is chronic, and symptoms can appear for months, then disappear, then reappear again.

For some, the symptoms are mild and for others, the symptoms can be quite severe and even debilitating.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract characterized by abdominal pain, excessive gassiness, bloating, and irregular bowel movements. Some people can control their symptoms with diet, stress management, and prescribed medications. For some people, however, IBS can be disabling. They may be unable to work, go to social events, or even travel short distances.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome may also be referred to as spastic colon, mucous colitis, spastic colitis, nervous stomach, or irritable colon. IBS is difficult to diagnose with traditional medicine, as it cannot be discovered through physical examination, x-rays, or blood tests. It occurs more often in women than in men, and it begins before the age of 35 in about 50 percent of people. IBS patients seem to fall into two categories:

1. Those who report that they have had symptoms since childhood.

2. Those who report the onset of symptoms after an illness, accident or specific situation.

What causes IBS?

Researchers have yet to discover any specific cause for IBS. One theory is that people who suffer from IBS have a colon (large bowel) that is particularly sensitive and reactive to certain foods and stress.

The immune system, which fights infection, may also be involved. research indicates that:

1. Normal motility, or movement, may not be present in a colon of a person who has IBS. It can be spasmodic or can even stop working temporarily. Spasms are sudden strong muscle contractions that come and go.

2. The lining of the colon called the epithelium, which is affected by the immune and nervous systems, regulates the flow of fluids in and out of the colon. In IBS, the epithelium appears to work properly. However, when the contents inside the colon move too quickly, the colon looses its ability to absorb fluids. The result is too much fluid in the stool. In other people, the movement inside the colon is too slow, which causes extra fluid to be absorbed. As a result, a person develops constipation.

3. A person’s colon may respond strongly to stimuli such as certain foods or stress that would not bother most people. Serotonin and the GI Tract Recent research has reported that serotonin is linked with normal gastrointestinal (GI) functioning. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, or chemical, that delivers messages from one part of your body to another. Ninety-five percent of the serotonin in your body is located in the GI tract, and the other 5 percent is found in the brain. Cells that line the inside of the bowel work as transporters and carry the serotonin out of the GI tract.

People with IBS, however, have diminished receptor activity, causing abnormal levels of serotonin to exist in the GI tract. As a result, people with IBS experience problems with bowel movement, motility, and sensation, having more sensitive pain receptors in their GI tract. In addition, people with IBS frequently suffer from depression and anxiety, which can worsen symptoms. Similarly, the symptoms associated with IBS can cause a person to feel depressed and anxious.

Researchers have reported that IBS may be caused by a bacterial infection in the gastrointestinal tract. Studies show that people who have had gastroenteritis sometimes develop IBS, otherwise called post-infectious IBS.

The following have been associated with a worsening of IBS symptoms:

• large meals

• bloating from gas in the colon

• medicines

• wheat, rye, barley, chocolate, milk products, or alcohol

• drinks with caffeine, such as coffee, tea, or colas

• stress, conflict, or emotional upsets. Researchers have found that women with IBS may have more symptoms during their menstrual periods, suggesting that reproductive hormones can worsen IBS problems.

How is IBS diagnosed?

IBS is generally diagnosed on the basis of a complete medical history that includes a careful description of symptoms and a physical examination. There is no specific test for IBS, although diagnostic tests may be performed to rule out other diseases. These tests may include stool sample testing, blood tests, and x rays.

Typically, a doctor will perform a sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy, which allows the doctor to look inside the colon. This is done by inserting a small, flexible tube with a camera on the end of it through the anus. The camera then transfers the images of your colon onto a large screen for the doctor to see better. If the tests results are negative, the doctor may diagnose IBS based on symptoms, including how often a patient may have had abdominal pain or discomfort during the past year, when the pain starts and stops in relation to bowel function, and how bowel frequency and stool consistency have changed.

Many doctors refer to a list of specific symptoms that must be present to make a diagnosis of IBS. Symptoms include:

• Abdominal pain or discomfort for at least 12 weeks out of the previous 12 months. These 12 weeks do not have to be consecutive.

• The abdominal pain or discomfort has two of the following three features:

• It is relieved by having a bowel movement.

• When it starts, there is a change in how often you have a bowel movement. When it starts, there is a change in the form of the stool or the way it looks.

Certain symptoms must also be present, such as:

• A change in frequency of bowel movements

• A change in appearance of bowel movements

• Feelings of uncontrollable urgency to have a bowel movement

• Difficulty or inability to pass stool

• Mucus in the stool

• Bloating

• Bleeding, fever, weight loss, and persistent severe pain are not symptoms of IBS and may indicate other problems such as inflammation, or rarely, cancer.

What is the treatment for IBS?

Unfortunately, many people suffer from IBS for a long time before seeking medical treatment. Up to 70 percent of people suffering from IBS are not receiving medical care for their symptoms. No cure has been found for IBS, but many options are available to treat the symptoms. A doctor will give share the best treatments available for particular symptoms and encourage ways to manage stress and make changes to diet. Medications are an important part of relieving symptoms. Hypnotherapy is non intrusive, safe, comfortable and a cost effective and complementary to use along side mainstream medicine.

About The Author

Dr. Bunny is a former model and award winning image consultant. When her own allergies and migraine headaches disappeared using hypnotherapy she was hooked! She earned her PhD in clinical Hypnotherapy with a specialty in IBS. Featured on radio and television, Dr. Bunny is an experienced speaker and has authored many articles for newspapers and magazines and is working on a book illustrating how the mind impacts our behavior.

http://www.BunnyVreeland.com

Diet for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
by: Patsy Hamilton

You can design your own special diet for irritable bowel syndrome control by keeping a food and symptoms diary. There are some common diets for irritable bowel syndrome control that include recommendations about what foods may or may not cause problems. But, these can only go so far. Some people are sensitive to wheat products while others are sensitive to dairy. And still others are sensitive to fructose and sugar substitutes. In order to keep restrictions to a minimum and still control symptoms, it typically works best to design a unique diet for irritable bowel syndrome, based on individual preferences and sensitivities.

The common diets for irritable bowel syndrome typically recommended by doctors are healthy and well-balanced. A diet for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea will differ from a diet for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. In cases where both constipation and diarrhea are experienced at different times, a food and symptoms diary is particularly helpful. In the diary, you would note what symptoms you are experiencing and what foods you ate recently. Balance is the key to a diet for irritable bowel syndrome control when both constipation and diarrhea are experienced.

Fiber is an important part of any diet for irritable bowel syndrome control. It is recommended that healthy adults consume 20-35 grams of fiber per day. A food and symptoms diary will also help you determine how much fiber you are consuming and supplement when necessary. Certain types of high fiber cereals may need to be excluded from a diet for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea, but fiber should not be excluded completely. If you are designing your own diet for irritable bowel syndrome control and you commonly have diarrhea, you may want to start with twenty grams of fiber per day, the low end of the scale, rather than a larger amount.

Common diets for irritable bowel syndrome recommended by doctors to control symptoms typically exclude caffeine, alcohol and sodas. These products can increase diarrhea, but they can also slow down the digestive system causing bloating and constipation. In addition, a diet for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea should exclude chocolate and fructose. Fructose is a simple sugar found in most fruit and fruit juices. It is an ingredient in many processed foods. If you are designing a diet for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea, you may need to check the ingredients on foods that you commonly eat. You do not want to exclude all fruit from your diet. Fruit is an important part of any well balanced diet, supplying many essential vitamins and nutrients, as well as dietary fiber found in edible skins. This is why a food and symptoms diary is so important. Undoubtedly you will find that there are certain foods that cause more problems than others. Common diets for irritable bowel syndrome include recommendations for eating yogurt, which contains probiotics, a substance believed to improve the balance between good and bad bacteria in the digestive tract.

If you are designing your own diet for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea, you may want to avoid the fried and fatty foods, as well as products containing the ingredient olean. If constipation is your problem, you may want to avoid highly processed foods like chips, cookies and white rice. Any of these could be causing you problems; the best way to learn what foods to avoid is by using a food and symptoms diary. This cannot be overemphasized, in this writer’s opinion. And don’t forget to drink plenty of water. Water is an important part of common diets for irritable bowel syndrome control; both when constipation is present, to soften the stool and when diarrhea is present, to prevent dehydration from fluid loss. Most experts recommend eight 8 ounce glasses of water per day or 64 ounces total.

For more information about irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive problems, visit www.digestive-disorders-guide.com.

About The Author

Patsy Hamilton has more than twenty years experience as a healthcare professional and currently writes informational articles for the Digestive Disorders Guide. Read more at http://www.digestive-disorders-guide.com.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome – Symptoms, Causes and Treatments
by: Paul MacIver

Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic functional disorder of the intestines which causes abdominal pain, often accompanied by cramping, bloating, diarrhea and constipation. It is also referred to as spastic colon or mucous colitis. Irritable bowel syndrome is more commonly known by its abbreviated term – IBS.

There are three forms of IBS depending on the symptoms — diarrhea-predominant (IBS-D), constipation-predominant (IBS-C) and IBS with alternating stool pattern (IBS-A). Clinical investigations are going on a new IBS subtype, post-infectious IBS (IBS-PI).

Symptoms of IBS

IBS symptoms include:

• Abdominal pain
• Discomfort associated with changes in bowel habits
• Fewer than three bowel movements a week
• More than three bowel movements a day
• Hard or lumpy stools
• Loose or watery stools
• Straining during a bowel movement
• Urgency (having to rush to have a bowel movement)
• Feeling of incomplete bowel movement
• Passing mucus (white material) during a bowel movement
• Abdominal fullness, bloating, or swelling
• Chronic pelvic pain
• Mental stress
• Fibromyalgia and various mental disorders
• Researchers believe that there are neurological and psychological disorders associated with IBS.

Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The exact causes of irritable bowel syndrome are unknown, but there are factors that may aggravate the trouble. Dietary factors and stress don’t exactly cause IBS, but they can aggravate it. Various studies and researches have noted an IBS connection to diet. Physicians feel that the correct diet can provide IBS relief.

Common IBS diet advice includes:

• Eat soluble fiber foods and supplements.
• Substitute dairy products for soy or rice products.
• Be careful with fresh fruits and vegetables that are high in insoluble fiber.
• Eat small amounts in regular intervals to lessen the symptoms of IBS.
• Avoid eating red meat, oily or fatty (and fried) products.
• Avoid taking dairy products (especially when lactose intolerance is suspected).
• Avoid solid chocolate, coffee (regular and decaffeinated), alcohol, carbonated beverages and artificial sweeteners.

IBS Treatment

IBS treatment includes dietary advice and medication. Developing good dietary habits may be the best treatment for irritable bowel syndrome.

Medications can provide instant IBS relief. These may include stool softeners and laxatives in constipation-predominant, and antidiarrheal (loperamide) in diarrhea-predominant IBS. The low dosage of tricyclic and SSRI antidepressants has shown to be the most widely prescribed medications for helping to relieve symptoms of visceral sensitivity (pain) and diarrhea or constipation respectively. Other medications include:

• Alosetron: Alosetron is a selective 5-HT3 antagonist for IBS-D. It is only available for women in the United States under a restricted access program, due to severe risks of side effects if taken mistakenly by IBS-A or IBS-C sufferers.

• Cilansetron: Cilansetron is also a selective 5-HT3 antagonist that is undergoing further clinical studies in Europe for IBS-D sufferers.

• Tegaserod: Tegaserod is a selective 5-HT4 antagonist for IBS-C. It has shown to have an excellent safety profile for relieving IBS constipation and chronic idiopathic constipation.

About The Author

Paul MacIver writes about health conditions including IBS and Crohn’s Disease. For further information on Irritable Bowel Syndrome visit http://www.beat-ibs.info/ or to read how hypnotherapy can be used to beat IBS check out http://www.online-ibs-help.info/.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome – IBS
by: Sher Matsen

Irritable bowel syndrome also called IBS is one of the most common disorders of the digestive tract. Symptoms of IBS often increase with stress or after eating and include

Abdominal bloating, pain, and gas
Mucus in the stool
Feeling as if a bowel movement hasn’t been completed
Irregular bowel habits with constipation, diarrhea, or both
The cause of IBS is unknown. Symptoms are thought to be related to abnormal muscle contractions in the intestines. However, when tests are done, they find no changes, such as inflammation or tumors, in the physical structure of the intestine.

IBS can persist for many years. An episode may be more then severe than the one before it, but the disorder itself does not worsen over time or lead to any serious diseases such as cancer. Symptoms tend to get better over time.

If you have not yet been diagnosed with IBS, try to rule out other causes of stomach problems such as eating a new food, nervousness, or stomach flu. Try home treatment for 1 to 2 weeks. If there is no improvement of if your symptoms worsen, make an appointment with your doctor.

Your doctor may prescribe medications for you to take in addition to doing home treatment. There are no tests that can diagnose IBS but your doctor may recommend testing to rule out other possible causes of your symptoms. The amount of testing your doctor will do depends on your age, the pattern, and severity of your symptoms, and your response to initial treatment.

Prevention:

There is no way to prevent IBS. However symptoms often worsen or improve because of changes in your diet, your stress level, your medications, the amount of exercise you get, and for other reasons. Identify the things that trigger your symptoms. This can help you avoid or minimize attacks.

Home Treatment:

If constipation is your main symptom

Eat more fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Add fibre rich food to your diet, but do this slowly so that you do not develop severe cramps

Add unprocessed wheat bran to your diet. Start with 15g per day then gradually increase to 60g

Try a product that contains a bulk forming agent such as Citrucel, FiberCon, or Metamucil. Start with 15g a day and drink extra water to prevent bloating

Use laxatives only if your doctor recomends them.

Get active. Increase your physical activity.

If diarrhea is your main symptom

Try the dietary suggestions for relieving constipation. Fibre rich foods and wheat bran can help reduce diarrhea

Avoid foods that make diarrhea worse. Try eliminating one food at a time then add it back into your diet and see if symptoms develop. Many people find the following foods or ingredients make it worse:

alcohol
caffeine
nicotine
beans
broccoli
cabbage
apples
spicy foods
foods high in acid such as citrus fruits
fatty foods like bacon, sausage, butter, or oil,
dairy products
sorbital
olestra
starchy foods such as bread, rice or potatoes
MSG

If diarrhea persists a non prescription medication such as lopeamide found in Imodium may help. Check with your doctor if you are using lopeamide more than twice a month.

To reduce stress

keep a log of the events in your life that seem to trigger your symptoms then try to correct the underlying issues

get regular and vigorous exercise

When To Call Your Doctor:

If you have been diagnosed with IBS and your symptoms get worse and begin to disrupt your usual activities or does not respond to home treatments

If you are becoming increasingly fatigued

If you are symptoms frequently wake you up at night

If your pain gets worse with movement or coughing

If you have abdominal pain and fever

If you have abdominal pain that does not get better when you pass a stool

If you are loosing weight and you don’t know why

If your appetite has decreased

If there is blood in your stool

About The Author

Sher Matsen author of Healing Herbs For The Mind Body & Soul offers you alternative choices for treating disease and illness at http://www.herbs-that-heal.com © Copyright Sher Matsen, All Rights Reserved – You may republish this article with an active link to our site.

Hypnosis Relieves Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
by: Paul Gustafson RN, BSN, CH

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic gastro-intestinal (GI) condition with no known cause or cure. Symptoms include diarrhea, constipation, cramping, gas, pain or bloating. Symptoms run in cycles lasting for days, months or years. IBS can be disabling and force many sufferers to feel like prisoners in their own homes.

Traditional intervention includes high fiber diets, antispasmodic and antidiarrhea medications, sedatives and antidepressants which offer relief only 25% of the time. Because IBS is not life threatening, is not a precursor to acute illness and is undetectable with diagnostic equipment, sufferers are usually told they have to live with it. Thankfully this is not the case. Hypnosis has been researched for over 20 years and stands alone as the most effective option for long-term IBS relief. Its success rate is consistently 70-95% and relief usually lasts at least two years. (2)

IBS is an enormous problem affecting 35 million Americans and 4 of 5 are women. It is more common than asthma, diabetes, acid reflux and depression combined. IBS is responsible for 10% of all primary physician visits and is also the 2nd leading cause for employee absenteeism and costs the US 8 billion dollars a year.

Diagnosing IBS is no simple task. First the physician needs to rule out infections, parasites, lactose intolerance, Crohn’s disease, celiac and gallbladder disease, dumping syndrome, ulcerative colitis and inflammatory bowel disease before an IBS diagnosis can be made.

The onset of symptoms ranges between the ages of 20-29 in adults and 9-11 in children. Some clients can trace the symptoms back to a traumatic event, illness or injury. Some begin having symptoms early in life for no apparent reason at all. IBS is also known to be generational. Many IBS sufferers go through life with no concept of what normal GI function is like.

Symptoms can be exacerbated by stress, chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, foods high in animal or vegetable fat, food dyes, artificial sweeteners, food or medication sensitivities or hormone fluctuation, but none are the cause. Some research indicates that IBS sufferers may have an abundance of specialized cells in the intestinal tract making them more reactive and sensitive. (1)

The irregularity of the GI tract is what is responsible for all the problems. If it moves too quickly the body doesn’t absorb what it needs resulting in diarrhea. If it moves too slowly the body absorbs too much resulting in constipation. This erratic pattern can also dramatically affect how nutrients are absorbed and how well the colon absorbs waste out of the blood stream.

Hypnosis has a long history cluttered with myths, misinformation and manipulation. Most people only know about stage hypnosis but there is also a serious minded clinical side that is quickly establishing a foothold as a viable compliment to mainstream medicine. Hypnosis is the simple process of accessing subconscious thought which is where all of our habits, patterns, values and beliefs reside. With hypnosis clients are empowered to embrace healthier patterns of nutrition, exercise and to release unhealthy patterns like smoking in favor of more positive ones.

The subconscious mind is also our body’s control center which regulates our inner network of complicated mechanisms. It regulates our heart and respiratory rate and controls the thousands of metabolic functions which occur automatically everyday of our lives. With unique access to this immensely powerful place hypnosis can also positively redirect specific areas of GI function, dramatically reduce stress, improve compliance with medication and diet regimes and also help clients see themselves as healthy and whole again. It gives them the feeling of control.

Hypnosis is by no means a magic pill. Success requires clients to be open to the process and motivated to assume responsibility for their recovery. Hypnotherapy for IBS relief involves up to several months of treatment and listening to recorded sessions at home. There are, however, some who do not respond as well as others. This includes clients over 50 years of age, those not open to the process and those with psychiatric disorders. One study indicates males with diarrhea as their major symptom as another group who do not experience as much relief. (2)

The steady accumulation of positive scientific research is the reason hypnosis has finally begun to gain acceptance. For over 20 years researchers like Olafur S. Palsson, Peter Whorwell, William Gonsalkorale and L.A. Houghton have been studying the benefits of hypnosis for IBS symptom relief. The following are brief descriptions of some of their findings.

One study compared 25 severe IBS clients treated with hypnosis to 25 patients with similar symptoms treated with other methods. The hypnosis group showed that in addition to significant IBS symptom relief they had fewer MD visits, lost less work time and rated an improved quality of life. Hypnosis clients unable to work before treatment went back to work afterwards. The study shows the economic benefits and improved health-related quality of life. (3)

Another study which is the largest to date followed 250 IBS clients who were treated with 12 hypnosis sessions over a 3-month period and they also listened to recorded sessions at home. The conclusions showed dramatic improvement in all IBS symptoms. The average reduction in symptoms was more than 50% as well as increased quality of life and relief from anxiety and depression. (4)

Lastly, the longest study to date treated and followed 204 IBS clients for up to 6 years. 71% showed immediate improvement, and 81% of this group was still improved years later. Quality of life scores were also still significantly improved at follow-up. Patients had less MD visits and required less medication long-term after hypnotherapy. Results indicate that most hypnosis clients benefit for at least five years. (5)

Hypnosis isn’t magic but can seem magical. Think of it as a daydream by design. It is a wonderful escape into an inner peacefulness that not only feels good but can be extremely good for you. In addition to offering IBS symptom relief clients also become more relaxed, focused and centered in general and much less affected by the day-to-day distractions of life.

(1) Melissa J. Roth C.Ht., Ph.D.; Hypnosis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

(2) Olafur S. Palsson, Psy.D. Hypnosis Treatment of IBS, Participate, Fall 2002

(3) Houghton LA; Heyman DJ; Whorwell PJ.Aliment Pharmacol Ther, Feb 1996.

(4) Gonsalkorale WM, Houghton LA, Whorwell PJ. Am J Gastroenterol 2002

(5) Gonsalkorale WM, Miller V, Afzal A, Whorwell PJ. Gut Nov 2003.

About The Author

Paul Gustafson RN, BSN, CH runs HealthyHypnosis.com of Burlington, Massachusetts. His 11 years of acute cardiac and hospice experience offer a solid foundation supporting his clinical approach to hypnotherapy. Visit HealthyHypnosis.com or call toll free at 888-290-3972.

info@healthyhypnosis.com

Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Simple Self-Help Tips
by: Sophie Lee

If you have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), you will know how difficult it is to treat. Doctors can be dismissive of IBS symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation and bloating, and when treatment is offered it may only help for a short while before the distressing symptoms return.

Sufferers often find that they have to deal with the symptoms themselves, through self-help methods and supplements, rather than by using conventional medicines. However, this does not mean that there is no hope of improvement. By sharing their experiences, sufferers can learn a lot about what really helps to ease IBS.

All the self-help tips in this article have come from IBS sufferers who have found a way to control their irritable bowels. Before trying any form of self-help, please make sure that you have your doctor’s approval, and do check that anything you try will not interfere with any medication you are taking.

Calcium tablets

Linda, who suffers from severe diarrhea, says: “What has helped me for more than two years is calcium carbonate, an over-the-counter supplement. I take three tablets a day, one at each meal. The most success has come from using any formula of calcium supplement that is like Caltrate 600 Plus with vitamin D and minerals. The only side effect is at the beginning of taking the calcium you may have some gas or indigestion, but this usually goes away after taking a regular dose for a few days.”

If you suffer from constipation rather than diarrhea, you could try magnesium supplements instead, as these can have a slight laxative effect.

Digestive enzymes and probiotics

Kim, who also suffers from bad diarrhea, says: “I tried taking digestive enzymes with acidophilus and found significant relief within three days. I am not afraid to eat now, but find that I still cannot eat very much refined sugar or high fibre vegetables. I have also added a cup or two per day of peppermint and chamomile tea. When I do have an episode it occurs late in the day and by the next morning I am feeling back to normal.”

Looking at your diet

Laura describes how a close examination of her diet helped her IBS: “I was placed on every kind of medication, and sometimes they worked in the short term, sometimes they didn’t work at all. The doctor finally suggested trying to alter my diet in cycles, and we discovered that eating meat was my problem. I became a vegetarian and no longer have constant problems. Sometimes I even go years without any pain at all. It’s worth all the effort you put into it when you finally feel better.”

Mina also found that dietary change helped control her symptoms, alongside traditional medication: “I’ve made a number of changes to my diet. I’ve eliminated milk and mostly any dairy, fried foods, sugar for the most part, pop, alcohol, potato chips, spicy food, rice, pasta and bread. Most recently I’m eliminating flour. But my best friend for the last couple of years has been Imodium Quick Dissolve tablets. I don’t ever leave home without them. I just have to make sure I don’t overdo it. If I ever become immune to the wonder drug I am gonna be a real mess!”

Flaxseed

Watching your diet is sometimes not enough to completely control the symptoms, and natural or herbal supplements can help, as Marion discovered: “After about six months of a horrendously restrictive diet (ultra low-fat vegan with no raw veggies or fruit except banana) and a lot of Metamucil, I managed to get it sort of under control. But if I deviated from the diet, the chronic diarrhea would come back. Someone I met told me that she had helped her IBS by taking a tablespoon of freshly ground flaxseed with a glass of water or juice every morning. I thought it was another crackpot cure, but eventually I decided to try it. She had told me that pre-ground flaxseed didn’t work because flax seed starts to oxidize as soon as you grind it and that whole flax seeds are no good either, because they cannot be digested properly. After years of IBS, in about two weeks it just went away. I cannot believe that I now have perfectly normal, regular bowel movements.”

Fiber, water and yoga

Pam, who struggles with constipation, has developed a combination of things which work for her: “I drink Metamucil (psyllium fibre) every day and try to relax, pray or meditate, even do a little yoga. The more I make myself relax and take time to de-stress the better I can manage my problem. I know time for yourself is very hard to come by sometimes but I have to if I’m going to manage this. I try to drink at least three bottles of water a day. This is also hard sometimes but I have to take care of me the best I can. I also take a mild anti-depressant. This has helped a bunch in my stress department and in turn has helped my IBS.”

Stress and IBS

Daniel believes that his symptoms are related to his emotions and stress: “I thought that when I was stuck on the toilet, experiencing the most severe cramps, thinking I was about to pass out from the pain, feeling like I was about to throw up, I was the only one. I’m still trying to work it out but I believe it has a lot to do with my psychological state. I say this because although I don’t get too stressed out at any one moment, I do have general worries about money and life. I tend to find when I’m not worrying about these things I don’t get the pain as much, if at all. It’s easier said than done of course, I can’t just stop worrying about money or my future, but being aware of these things seems to help – being optimistic and knowing that everything is only temporary. I have been taking Colpermin (peppermint capsules) as a preventative which often helps and for a while I took painkillers which I think helped.”

Soluble versus insoluble fiber

Some nutritionists believe that IBS sufferers’ intestines react differently to soluble and insoluble fiber, and this has been Stu’s experience: “After trying all kinds of drugs and healthy eating, my pains were still there. I found by accident that it wasn’t so much what I ate but whether I ate it on a full stomach or not. My failsafe is pasta on an empty stomach, I get no reaction – it is soluble fibre that settles the colon apparently. I quickly searched on the internet for recipes high in soluble fibre and I have improved. Most significantly though I am on no medication and this puts me in control of the IBS, not the other way around. I think this is important as stress certainly can trigger the symptoms off. I don’t avoid insoluble fibre as it is essential for the body, but I recommend that you eat it on a full stomach.”

A final word

Lastly, please do make sure that you have been officially diagnosed with IBS and had your symptoms fully investigated before trying any self-help methods. As Joe found out, bowel symptoms can be due something other than IBS: “I was diagnosed with IBS, but I went to get a second opinion. They did an ultrasound followed by a barium follow-through which showed major inflammation and blockage of my small intestine. The final diagnosis is Crohn’s disease. It’s a pity they didn’t catch it before I was seriously ill, instead of fobbing me off with excuses of ‘It’s IBS, there’s no cure so live with it!’”

About The Author

Sophie Lee has suffered from irritable bowel syndrome for 14 years. She runs the IBS Tales website at http://www.ibstales.com where you can read hundreds of personal stories and tips from IBS sufferers.
sophie@ibstales.com

Hypnosis Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
by: Bunny Vreeland, Ph.D

In recent years, other alternatives have been sought to help these individuals. There has been growing interest in the possibility of using the mind to soothe the symptoms of IBS. Mental states clearly affect the way the gut behaves in people with IBS, and in fact, also in people who have no gastrointestinal problems.

Although IBS is probably not caused by stress directly, it is well established from research that psychological stress increases the symptoms of many people who have the disorder.

If the mind can have such a powerful negative influence on the intestinal tract, it would seem to make sense that the mind could be used to have a positive or calming influence on the intestines. Several psychological methods to treat IBS symptoms have been tested in formal research studies, including biofeedback, cognitive therapy, psychodynamic (insight-oriented) therapy, and hypnosis treatment. It is unclear, to date, which of these psychological treatment methods is most effective, for they have generally not been tested side by side.

However, cognitive therapy and hypnosis treatment have had the highest reported success rates in repeated formal research studies, with improvement seen in 80% or more of all treated patients in some studies.

Hypnosis for IBS

The results of the first formal research study on hypnosis treatment for IBS were published in the Lancet in 1984. The investigators, Dr. Peter Whorwell and his group in Manchester in England, reported remarkable success from a seven-session hypnosis treatment of 15 patients with severe IBS problems who had not responded to any other treatment. All 15 patients treated with seven sessions of hypnotherapy improved, with dramatic improvement seen in all the central symptoms of IBS.

The researchers furthermore showed that this therapeutic impact was not merely due to belief or expectancy of improvement, because a comparison group of 15 IBS patients who were instead treated with the same number of psychotherapy sessions and also received placebo pills (pills with no medication) showed only slight improvement.

This was a powerful demonstration of the impact hypnotherapy could have on IBS, and led to considerable subsequent interest in this approach to IBS treatment. Since this first report, more than a dozen other published research reports have confirmed that hypnosis treatment is effective in treating IBS.

Generally, the treatment procedures reported in the literature consists of 4 to 12 sessions (shorter treatment than 7 sessions may be a bit less effective). Hypnosis sessions are typically conducted weekly or once every other week, last 30-40 minutes and consist of induction of hypnosis followed by deep relaxation and the use of gut-directed imagery and suggestions. Patients are commonly given short CD or audiotape hypnosis home exercises to use during the course of treatment in addition to the sessions with the clinicians.

The experience to date may be outlined as follows:

Reported success rates range from approximately 70-95% in all studies with any significant number of patients [for example, in the work of the Manchester group in England and our studies.

The improvement enjoyed from this treatment often lasts at least two years after the end of treatment .

All major IBS symptoms improve from this kind of treatment (abdominal pain, diarrhea/constipation, and bloating).

There are some indications that individuals with certain characteristics are somewhat less likely to benefit from this kind of treatment: People with very little hypnotizability (perhaps 15% of all people), persons with psychiatric disorders, and maybe (according to one report) males with diarrhea-predominant type of IBS.

This treatment can be effective also when people are treated in groups.

In addition to effects on physical symptoms, the treatment commonly improves psychological well being and life functioning substantially and can have long-term positive effects in reducing disability and health care costs and improving the quality of life of IBS patients.

Diet for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
by: Patsy Hamilton

You can design your own special diet for irritable bowel syndrome control by keeping a food and symptoms diary. There are some common diets for irritable bowel syndrome control that include recommendations about what foods may or may not cause problems. But, these can only go so far. Some people are sensitive to wheat products while others are sensitive to dairy. And still others are sensitive to fructose and sugar substitutes. In order to keep restrictions to a minimum and still control symptoms, it typically works best to design a unique diet for irritable bowel syndrome, based on individual preferences and sensitivities.

The common diets for irritable bowel syndrome typically recommended by doctors are healthy and well-balanced. A diet for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea will differ from a diet for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. In cases where both constipation and diarrhea are experienced at different times, a food and symptoms diary is particularly helpful. In the diary, you would note what symptoms you are experiencing and what foods you ate recently. Balance is the key to a diet for irritable bowel syndrome control when both constipation and diarrhea are experienced.

Fiber is an important part of any diet for irritable bowel syndrome control. It is recommended that healthy adults consume 20-35 grams of fiber per day. A food and symptoms diary will also help you determine how much fiber you are consuming and supplement when necessary. Certain types of high fiber cereals may need to be excluded from a diet for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea, but fiber should not be excluded completely. If you are designing your own diet for irritable bowel syndrome control and you commonly have diarrhea, you may want to start with twenty grams of fiber per day, the low end of the scale, rather than a larger amount.

Common diets for irritable bowel syndrome recommended by doctors to control symptoms typically exclude caffeine, alcohol and sodas. These products can increase diarrhea, but they can also slow down the digestive system causing bloating and constipation. In addition, a diet for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea should exclude chocolate and fructose. Fructose is a simple sugar found in most fruit and fruit juices. It is an ingredient in many processed foods. If you are designing a diet for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea, you may need to check the ingredients on foods that you commonly eat. You do not want to exclude all fruit from your diet. Fruit is an important part of any well balanced diet, supplying many essential vitamins and nutrients, as well as dietary fiber found in edible skins. This is why a food and symptoms diary is so important. Undoubtedly you will find that there are certain foods that cause more problems than others. Common diets for irritable bowel syndrome include recommendations for eating yogurt, which contains probiotics, a substance believed to improve the balance between good and bad bacteria in the digestive tract.

If you are designing your own diet for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea, you may want to avoid the fried and fatty foods, as well as products containing the ingredient olean. If constipation is your problem, you may want to avoid highly processed foods like chips, cookies and white rice. Any of these could be causing you problems; the best way to learn what foods to avoid is by using a food and symptoms diary. This cannot be overemphasized, in this writer’s opinion. And don’t forget to drink plenty of water. Water is an important part of common diets for irritable bowel syndrome control; both when constipation is present, to soften the stool and when diarrhea is present, to prevent dehydration from fluid loss. Most experts recommend eight 8 ounce glasses of water per day or 64 ounces total.

For more information about irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive problems, visit www.digestive-disorders-guide.com.

Understanding an Irritable Bowel Syndrome Diagnosis
by: Heather Van Vorous

The most common response to a new diagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome is, “What exactly does this mean? What is IBS?”

Once you’ve seen a gastroenterologist, been through diagnostic tests, and found out your symptoms match the Rome Criteria for IBS, you should finally have a diagnosis you feel is accurate. You’ve got Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Now what? Well, one of the most important weapons in your battle against IBS is information. You need to know the enemy. Fortunately, over the past several years a great deal of new information regarding the brain-gut interaction that results in IBS has evolved, and more discoveries are being made all the time.

First of all, it helps to realize that you are not alone. Irritable Bowel Syndrome is estimated to affect 15-20% of all Americans, primarily (but certainly not exclusively) women. This is at least 35 million Americans, and half of them have never even seen a physician for their symptoms. Despite this, IBS is still the most-frequently seen illness by gastroenterologists, and is one the top ten diagnoses among all US physicians. It is also, incredibly, the second leading cause of worker absenteeism (behind only the common cold). These are pretty amazing statistics for a disorder that many people have never even heard of.

Interestingly, because Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a “functional” disorder, you can’t actually be tested for it. Rather, it is determined by a diagnosis of exclusion. This is because there are no structural, inflammatory, biochemical, or infectious abnormalities present in IBS. In other words, when IBS patients are examined by doctors, there is no physical problem to be found. So, are you just imagining your symptoms? No – you absolutely are not. A functional disorder simply means that the problem is an altered physiological function (that is, the way your body works), rather than something that has an identifiable origin behind it. In other words, while an IBS attack and its resulting symptoms are clearly visible as physical manifestations, the underlying cause behind these symptoms is not. The root of the problem in IBS sufferers cannot yet be identified by yielding a positive result from any existing medical tests. What then, precisely, is wrong with the way your body works if you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

IBS is indisputably a physical problem. Simply put, the brain-gut interaction of people with IBS influences their bowel pain perception and motility. In a nutshell, the processing of pain information within the central nervous system varies between normal individuals and those of us with IBS, with the result that we can experience even normal GI contractions as painful. The interactions between our brains, central nervous systems, and GI systems are just not functioning properly. We have colons that react to stimuli that do not affect normal colons, and our reactions are much more severe. The end result is heightened pain sensitivity and abnormal gut motility, in the form of irregular or increased GI muscle contractions. It is this gut overreaction and altered pain perception that cause the lower abdominal cramping and accompanying diarrhea and/or constipation that characterize Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Interestingly, the origins of IBS may really be in our brains, and not in our bowels. Given that for many years people with IBS were dismissively told their problem was “all in their heads”, it’s ironic that, in the end, this may be factually true. The underlying problem might well be in our brains – but it’s absolutely not in our imaginations.

No one really yet knows exactly why some people develop IBS and others don’t. There is mounting evidence that for some IBS sufferers the condition is precipitated by some type of grievous insult to the gut – dysentery, food poisoning, intestinal flu, abdominal surgery, even pregnancy. The theory goes that even after full physical recovery from these traumatic events, the nerves within the gut retain a “memory” of the insult and remain hyper-sensitive to further stimulation, as well as prone to subsequent over-reaction. You likely know if you experienced any abdominal trauma immediately prior to the onset of your Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms, and if you did it’s probably nice to have a logical explanation for what has happened to your GI tract and why. There are those (and I’m one of them) who are exceptions to this theory, however, who suffered no gut insult prior to the onset of Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms, and we’re still patiently waiting for our explanation.

Now that you know exactly what Irritable Bowel Syndrome is, check http://www.HelpForIBS.com/ (HelpForIBS.com) for an overview of treatments for IBS, so you can begin to successfully manage the disorder.