Family Doctor 2007 - (Page 124) common conditions IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME Tips on controlling your symptoms Irritable bowel syndrome can cause a great deal of discomfort and distress, but the good news is that symptoms can be controlled with diet, stress management and medications. By Susanna E. Guzman Making the diagnosis If there’s been a pattern to your symptoms over time, IBS may well be the cause. If your symptoms have just started, something else may be to blame. You may need to have a blood test or colonoscopy to make sure that your symptoms aren’t caused by something other than IBS. TIPS ON CONTROLLING IBS EAT A HEALTHY DIET AND AVOID FOODS HIGH IN FAT DRINK PLENTY OF WATER EAT 6 SMALL MEALS A DAY RATHER THAN 3 LARGER ONES TRY TO LOWER YOUR STRESS LEVEL DON’T USE LAXATIVES. THEY MAY WEAKEN YOUR INTESTINES AND YOU MAY BECOME DEPENDENT ON THEM What to eat There’s no particular food that causes IBS, but some foods seem to aggravate it. Fat and caffeine can cause cramping. I rritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a disorder of the digestive tract that usually begins around age 20 and is more common in women. In people who have IBS, the intestines squeeze too Alcohol and chocolate, as well as foods that cause gas, such as beans, cabbage and some fruits, may also make you feel worse. To find out whether a certain food bothers you, keep a food and symptom diary for a few weeks. If it seems as though a food makes you feel worse, don’t eat it. But don’t cut out foods unless they’ve caused you problems more than once. If dairy products seem to cause you problems, you may have lactose intolerance, meaning that your body can’t digest lactose (the sugar in milk). If you have lactose intolerance and dairy products make your IBS symptoms worse, you may need to limit the amount of dairy products in your diet. hard or not hard enough and cause food to move too quickly or too slowly through them. Common symptoms ● Bloating and gas. ● Mucus in the stool. ● Constipation. ● Diarrhea, especially after eating or first thing in the morning. ● Feeling like you still need to have a bowel movement after you’ve already had one. ● Feeling a strong urge to have a bowel movement. ● Abdominal pain and cramping that may go away after having a Manage your stress Talk with your family doctor about ways to deal with stress, such as exercise, relaxation training or meditation. Talking with a counselor about things that are bothering you may also help. Anxiety can sometimes worsen IBS symptoms, so your doctor may prescribe a tranquilizer or sedative. If your symptoms are severe and you’re feeling depressed, he or she may prescribe an antidepressant. bowel movement. If you have IBS, your symptoms may get worse when you’re under stress, eat certain foods or don’t eat enough healthy foods, or after you’ve eaten a big meal. Women who have IBS may notice more frequent symptoms during their menstrual periods. ● Why you need dietary fiber Symptom relief If your main symptom is pain, your doctor may prescribe an antispasmodic to reduce cramping. Hyoscyamine (for example, Anaspaz, Cystospaz and Levsin) and dicyclomine (for example, Bentyl and Di-Spaz) help relax the colon spasms. Heating pads and hot baths can also help. When diarrhea is a frequent problem, medicine such as loperamide (Imodium) may help. Susanna E. Guzman is an editor with the American Academy of Family Physicians, headquartered in Leawood, Kan. D ietary fiber is important because it improves how the intestines work. There are 2 types of fiber: ● Soluble fiber helps both diarrhea and constipation. It’s found in foods such as apples, beans and citrus fruits, and in psyllium supplements (for example, Fiberall, Metamucil and Perdiem). ● Insoluble fiber helps constipation by moving material through your digestive system and adding bulk to your stool. Whole-grain breads, wheat bran and many vegetables contain insoluble fiber. 124 familydoctor 2007
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.