How to treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Diet and maintaining proper eating habits can reduce the symptoms of IBS in some cases. Reducing the intake of high-fat foods, alcohol, caffeine, avoiding artificial sweeteners, eating more frequent and smaller meals and keeping a diary of foods that aggravate symptoms may help.

Exercising regularly and managing stress can also help. The colon is partly controlled by the nervous system and stress can stimulate spasms in the colon. Using standard relaxation techniques, one can help avoid or limit the colon spasms leading to IBS symptoms. Aromatherapy, yoga, warm showers, massage or a back rub, rest or sleep, attending a stress-management workshop, talking to a friend or even joining a support group can help relieve stress.

Drugs used in the treatment of IBS fall into several categories: Antispasmodics are used to treat abdominal pain by relieving the spasms in the muscles of the intestines; Laxatives are drugs used to treat constipation; Anti-diarrhoeal drugs are used to treat diarrhoea. While these drugs may be useful in relieving specific symptoms, their effectiveness in treating IBS is limited.

Most of the drugs used in the past were not subjected to rigorous testing, and it now appears that some of them may be no more effective than a placebo. Many of the drugs focus on relieving the predominant symptoms. Often their effectiveness is limited by side effects. For example, antispasmodic drugs that treat abdominal pain by relaxing the intestine tend to cause constipation. Also, laxatives that stimulate the bowels to move, could cause abdominal cramps due to contractions.

In recent years, more resources and attention have been given to developing effective drug treatments for IBS. Drug companies have invested large sums of money in developing new drugs that meet the stricter requirements of governmental health agencies. For example, the Food & Drug Administration in the US requires that new drugs be approved for the treatment of IBS only after rigorous scientific testing shows them to be safe and more effective than a placebo. There is now at least one new drug approved by the FDA after undergoing this process.

The best way to control IBS symptoms is to develop, with your doctor, a program that encompasses all of the above-mentioned factors, that is, diet and exercise programs, stress management techniques, and medication. It takes constant vigilance to keep track of your symptoms and maintain a proper diet, but the rewards of reduced symptoms and a better quality of life are well worth the effort.

It is also extremely important to maintain open communication channels with your doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or any other healthcare professional with whom you discuss your IBS symptoms. Be honest and thorough in describing your condition so that a correct diagnosis can be made. Finally, if you find that you need help managing your IBS symptoms, do seek out companionship and advice from an IBS support group.

治疗在某一些例子里，节食和保持饮食均衡可以减低IBS症状。减少高脂肪的食物，酒精，咖啡因，避免人造糖，少量多餐以及记下那些会激发症状的食物也有帮助。定期运动和 制服压力也有帮助。人体内有一部份的结肠是被神经系统控制，所以压力能引发结肠抽筋。应用简单的放松技巧，就能预防或减少能导致IBS症状的结肠抽筋。香 料薰法，瑜伽，温沐浴，按摩或背按摩，休息或睡觉，压力处理讲座，与朋友交谈或参加互助小组也能帮助减轻压力。

治疗 IBS 的药物分成几项。止痉挛药是借着减轻小肠肌肉抽筋而得以治疗腹痛。泻药是用来治疗便秘。防泻药是用以防止腹泻。虽然这些药物可以减轻某一方面的症状，但是 对于治疗IBS的效果却很有限。以往所用的大部份药物都没加以实验，所以如今发现到这些比代替品（宽心丸）更无效。很多这种药物只是用来集中在减轻初期的 症状。往往却因为副作用而不能发挥作用。例如，用来减轻小肠肌肉抽筋而得以治疗腹痛的止痉挛药能导致便秘。还有，用来通便的泻药能导致腹部抽筋而疼痛。

近 年来，更多资源和注意力转去制造更有效的IBS治疗药物。药剂厂已投下一笔可观的数目为着制造更有效的新药，一方面也可满足卫生部严格的要求。例如，美国 的食品及药物管理局要求新药经过严格的实验，并能证明的确是比代替品（宽心丸）更安全和有效之后才被批准用于治疗IBS。如今最少有一种已经被食品及药物 管理局批准的新药，这药物是经过食品及药物管理局严格的实验要求的。

控制IBS症状最好的方法就是与你的医生策划出一项包含以上所提的，那就是节食和运动，压力处理和药物治疗。还需要记录你的症状和保持饮食均衡，这些都要有持之以恒的心态才得以降低症状而提高生活素质。

还有最重要的就是必须与你的医生，护士，药剂师或任何保健专家维持良好的消息传达管道以检讨你的IBS症状。在描述自己的症状时应该坦白，因为这将会对IBS症状有更准确的诊断。最后，如果你的IBS症状需要任何的协助，请向IBS互助小组寻求。

IBS 病患者经常经历便秘或腹泻，或两者交替发生的问题，从而产生肚子痛或腹部不适的感觉。在新加坡，约13%的病人主要是腹泻IBS患者，而51%是便秘 IBS患者。疼痛可发生于肚子任何地方，甚至在胃部或骨盆。病人还会经历肠胃不适，如腹胀，腹抽紧的感觉，有些会有较复杂的病症如背痛或胸部不舒服，这都 是由于肠的激惹而引发的。