Treatments and Drugs for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
September 8, 2009 by Admin
Filed under IBS Prevention
Contrary to what some people believe, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, is a chronic condition, which affects millions of people around the world. However, even though there is no known cure, the condition is often controlled with the use of different drugs, therapies, and natural remedies, in order to reduce the severity of the symptoms. In fact, two drugs in particular have recently been designed specifically for treating IBS, both of which are now available to those suffering from this debilitating condition. There are also other natural approaches one can take in order to manage the condition, which I would recommend, such as what IBS Eliminated dicusses.
IBS Specific Drugs
Those who are diagnosed to be suffering from severe diarrheic IBS are often prescribed Alosetron (Lotronex) by their doctors, providing their doctor has enrolled in a special program, which follows strict protocols. This drug works by blocking certain nerve impulses, which in turn are responsible for spasms and diarrhea.
Those patients who suffer predominantly from constipation will be prescribed Lubiprostone (Amitiza), a drug that increases the amount of fluids in the small intestine in order to encourage bowel movement. However, many patients on this drug complain about side effects including abdominal pain, diarrhea, and nausea.
If you are taking either of these, I highly recommend following the IBS Eliminated system to see if you can get off these drugs.
Other IBS Medications
Interestingly enough, they are several drugs on the market nowadays which are able to offer sufferers a certain amount of relief, even though they were not originally designed for treating IBS, such as:
Anticholinergics – relaxes the bowel and prevents spasms
Antidepressants – reduces pain and improves mood
Anti-diarrheals – used for treating diarrhea
Laxatives – uses for treating constipation
Of course, if your condition is being made worse due to an infection, then it’s very likely that your doctor will prescribe antibiotics. In this case, it is crucial that you do not stop taking your medication unless advised to do so by your doctor. Furthermore, before you decide to take any over-the-counter medications, you should always discuss it with your doctor first, particularly if you’re already taking description drugs.
Natural Remedies and Treatments
As many people can attest to, there are several natural approaches for treating IBS, and which are known to be moderately successful. In fact, many people have found at least some relief simply by eliminating certain foods from their diet. As such, it is always advisable for IBS sufferers to keep a food journal in order to determine which foods tend to irritate the condition, causing the symptoms to be more severe. Sufferers should pay particular attention to spicy foods, greasy foods, caffeine, and also dairy products, as these are all known to trigger the condition. Artificial sweeteners are another culprit although many people tend to overlook them completely, believing that something so insignificant could surely not trigger the condition.
In addition, sufferers should make a point of drinking at least 64oz. of water each day. If you suffer frequent diarrhea, drinking water will help to ensure you don’t become dehydrated. On the other hand, if you suffer from frequent constipation, drinking plenty of water will help to soften stools.
Over and above making changes to your diet, it’s crucial that you get enough regular physical exercise as this helps to promote the production of endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are essentially a chemical in the brain that helps to regulate moods and this of course is beneficial in terms of reducing stress levels.
Lastly but not least, depending on the severity of your condition, you may want to consider counseling in order to help you bring your stress levels under control. While stress in itself does not cause IBS, high stress levels certainly do make the condition worse.
Advice For Choosing A Colon Cleanser
August 2, 2009 by Admin
Filed under IBS - Free Content
Colon cleansers can be a great solution to many problems you may struggle with, such as constipation, indigestion, and bloating/gas. By using a colon cleanser to clear up the excess feces from your colon, it is possible to drop those stubborn few pounds and keep them off with a monthly cleanse. It can be very unhealthy to let built-up fecal matter reside in the colon as it can release toxins and bacteria to the rest of the body. Many of the symptoms such as sluggishness, lack of energy, and inability to have a bowel movement all point to the need for a colon cleanse.
Of the many products on the market only a few have stood out as being truly effective and beneficial. Most of these products are available for free trials and are all natural colon cleansers. They have no known side effects and one may be able to help you with colon cleansing.
Colontox has a reputation for “no side effects,” and works by flushing out all of the toxins and feces which have built up inside your colon. Think of all the junk that could be residing in the many folds of your intestines. Many people have reported immediate results and a distinct improvement in their digestive functionality.
Colopure can help boost your energy, decrease bloating and gas, detoxify the internal organs, help you with weight lose and break up matter that is stuck to the colon walls. It is possible to receive a bottle for just one dollar. Bromalite has been a top product for colon cleansing through the years. This product is available in powder form and actually tastes great. The formula contains antioxidants and other compounds that naturally detoxify the body.
By: Best Colon Cleanser
About the Author:
How Healthy is your Cat’s Colon?
July 29, 2009 by Admin
Filed under IBS - Free Content
Feline Constipation
Concerning colon health, cat constipation is relatively easy to recognize. Fortunately, it is fairly easy to help your cat recover from feline constipation.
Just as with human colon health, cat colon health problems have a great deal to do with the age of the cat. As in humans, older cats are more susceptible to constipation. Those that are eight-years-old and above are more likely to become constipated. Nonetheless, it is possible for a cat of any age to become constipated.
A cat with bowels that are functioning efficiently will usually have one or two bowel movements every day. Of course, just as with humans, every cat is different. Signs of feline constipation include:
No bowel movements, or very infrequent bowel movements
Straining during a bowel movement
Painful bowel movements
A sudden decrease in the amount of stool produced
When it comes to colon health, cat constipation is a sign that something is not working correctly within the digestive tract. And, if you fail to take action, your cat may become quite ill. Signs the constipation has advanced and is becoming serious include:
Failure to keep itself groomed
Lethargic behavior
Loss of appetite
Crouching and hunching up
Vomiting
Passing a small amount of diarrhea, which is runny and blood-tinged
Some potential causes of cat constipation include:
Ingesting foreign bodies, hair, and animal bones
A dirty litter box
Recent hospitalization
Lack of exercise (let your cat out to run)
Obstructions, such as improperly healed pelvic fractures or tumors
Medication
Hair matted with dirt/mud
Injuries from cat fights
Obesity (don’t overfeed your pet please or share your meals)
Parasites, usually obtained from dirt, animals, or unclean water
To maintain proper feline colon health, constipation needs to be treated as soon as possible. The first approach is to address the underlying cause of the problem. A cat that is dehydrated, for example, may receive intravenous or subcutaneous replacement fluids to help encourage a bowel movement.
If a change of the underlying cause is not enough to get things moving again, the veterinarian may administer an enema to your pet to help induce a bowel movement. If the cat is severely constipated, however, it may be necessary to place the cat under anesthesia and remove the feces manually. This can be a very time consuming process.
Feline Obstipation
Feline obstipation is similar to constipation, but must be treated differently. Whereas constipation is characterized by difficulty in eliminating waste, obstipation occurs when the cat’s bowels are blocked and it is unable to pass any waste at all. The cause of obstipation and the signs and symptoms of the disorder are usually the same as with constipation.
Feline Megacolon
A cat that suffers from chronic constipation or obstipation may ultimately develop Megacolon, which is a distended colon with poor movement. When this occurs, fecal matter remains in the colon and becomes continuously drier. As a result, the colon becomes filled with waste almost as hard as concrete.
Maintaining Colon Health Cat Style
Maintaining your cat’s colon health requires many of the same steps for maintaining the health of a human colon. Placing your cat on a high fiber diet, for example, will help prevent your cat from becoming constipated. Like humans, cats are unable to digest fiber. As the undigested fiber sits in your cat’s colon, it absorbs water and helps loosen the stool while also providing it with extra bulk.
Since cats tend to have more sensitive digestive systems than humans, however, it is important to implement a high fiber diet slowly. Changing your cat’s diet too abruptly can cause it to experience gas pain. Therefore, you should spend about five or seven days gradually modifying your cat’s diet.
Foods that can be added to your cat’s diet to increase its fiber intake include:
Canned pumpkin
Bran
Vegetable meal
Whole grains
Your cat may not want to eat any of these foods alone. Therefore, you will need to mix them in with your cat’s canned cat food. It is also important to ensure your cat drinks plenty of water. This is particularly important when increasing fiber consumption since the fiber will absorb water within your cat’s digestive system.
By helping your pet maintain proper colon health, its digestive problems should not be of serious concern. However, if problems arise, contact your veterinarian right away to take care of the issue before it worsens.
By: The Colon Cleansing & Constipation Resource Center
About the Author:
The Colon Cleansing & Constipation Resource Center is sponsored by Global Healing Center, Inc. The Resource Center’s website features information on constipation, articles on colon cleansing, and research on the latest treatments. For more information, please visit The Colon Cleansing & Constipation Resource Center.
Should You Be Concerned About Anxiety Irritable Bowel Syndrome Link?
July 25, 2009 by Admin
Filed under IBS - Free Content
The symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) will be different from person to person. One of the most common symptoms is bowel dysfunction accompanied by abdominal discomfort or pain. On average it is estimated that someone with IBS will suffer for 12 weeks over the course of a 12 month period.
This does not mean that these 12 weeks have to be consecutive though. It is usual for IBS to come and go, sometimes attacks may only last a few hours. There is also the possibility of suffering a number of other symptoms like depression, stress and anxiety.
There are many disorders that can cause abdominal pain. For this reason it should not be assumed that that you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome if you experience abdominal pain or discomfort. Many people jump to this conclusion thinking they have a form of IBS, but without proper diagnosis it could just as easily be one of the other digestive or gastrointestinal disorders.
One way to identify if you have IBS is the abdominal pain can often be relieved after having bowel movement and sometimes the bowel movement can be abnormally colored.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a bit of a contrary condition as some people can suffer from constipation, while others may suffer with diarrhea and there are some who experience alternating constipation and diarrhea. This is because Irritable Bowel Syndrome affects the function of the colon, therefore the ability to pass a stool.
The colon can also go into spasms, which will push your stool out of your body before all the necessary digestive and waste processing have taken place. Alternating between clenching up and spasming is what causes a person to go from suffering with diarrhea to having the pains that go with constipation.
Another common symptom of Irritable Bowel Syndrome is bloating. This is due to the gas build up in the intestines increasing the pressure in the abdomen.
Of course, all of these symptoms effect the way you live your life, meaning you need to avoid certain trigger foods, and are not able to be too far away from a bathroom.
This impact can lead to a number of mental and emotional symptoms that are commonly seen in IBS sufferers..
Suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome increases the risk of experiencing bouts of depression or feeling more stressed and anxious. There may be nights where you simply cannot sleep, and you may even have panic attacks because you do not know when and where the next bathroom visit is needed.
It is believed that between 50 and 90 percent of people being treated for IBS have psychological conditions, which includes social anxiety, panic disorder, stress disorder or a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
There are a number of ways of relieving the anxiety, the first is to seek the best advice on relieving the IBS symptoms. This should be done in conjunction with your advising physician.
There are also a number of relaxation techniques that you can use to soothe the anxiety symptoms. These should be tried before turning to anxiety medication which could complicate and effect your IBS treatment.
Continue reading to discover natural methods to treat IBS and join up for our free relieve IBS newsletter.
Some people gain pain and anxiety relief through visualization and imagery, and others through using deep breathing techniques. Alternatively listening to your favorite music, meeting with friends or just taking up a hobby can work wonders to make you realize there is more to life than your IBS.
Getting a good night sleep every night can help reduce anxiety, as can carrying out some form of regular exercise, and improving your diet.
The anxiety irritable bowel syndrome connection has been shown to be real concern in many IBS sufferers. Learning methods to relieve anxiety and stress can allow you to concentrate on gaining control over the other IBS symptoms, and live a life that is not controlled by IBS.
By: Susan Reynolds
About the Author:
Can You Help a Child With Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
July 23, 2009 by Admin
Filed under IBS - Free Content
Most people think that it is only adults that suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome. No one would ever dream of suspecting that their child would suffer from such a painful, uncomfortable and potentially embarrassing condition.
However, children can and do suffer from this uncomfortable digestive disorder that causes bloating, gas and abdominal pain. Irritable Bowel Syndrome is characterised as a functional disorder that is thought to be caused by a problem in the intestines. This problem is thought to be the major cause of the recurring abdominal pain suffered by children and adults alike.
The symptoms that the child would generally experience are abdominal pain and cramping which will usually be relived when the child has had a bowel movement. The child may also suffer from bouts of constipation and/or diarrhoea. Again, these symptoms are almost identical to those that would be suffered by an adult.
Obviously any of these symptoms will be very scary for a child. No-one wants to see their child in pain or discomfort and that is why it is very important to get a proper diagnosis from your Doctor in order to help your child with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Getting a Clear Diagnosis
Changing your Child’s diet may be recommended as the first course of action by your Doctor. Many sufferers of Irritable Bowel Syndrome benefit from changing their diet to include more fibre and drinking more water along with eating more fruit and vegetables while also eating less fatty, greasy food.
Medications can be prescribed but as children are generally very susceptible to medications the first course of action should be the changes to their diet. Obviously these changes may take a little bit of time to incorporate into their daily routine. Everyone knows the many excuses children will come up with in order to avoid anything healthy!
However, even the smallest changes to their diet can have a huge effect. As an example changing from white bread to brown wholemeal, getting them to eat an extra piece of fruit a day, these changes although small can have a huge effect on their symptoms.
Making these changes can be easier when the child is a little older. When I first attempted to make these changes with my daughter, when she was very young, it was extremely difficult. She would stubbornly not try any new foods! However, as she has got older, she is now almost 6 years old, she is more aware of her situation and the effect eating certain foods can have on her symptoms.
Most Doctors do not know why children suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and they generally think children will grow out of the condition. However, if you try making the changes to their diet and the symptoms do not improve, you need to follow up with your Doctor. There are medications available that can help and also some relaxation techniques that the Doctor can show you so you can help your child when they are suffering from an attack of certain symptoms.
By: Lyndsay Whittaker
About the Author:
For more information on Helping your Child with Irritable Bowel Syndrome please take a look at http://www.living-with-ibs.com.
