IBS is otherwise known as irritable bowel syndrome or spastic colon, and treating the disorder generally will involve using several medications that mainly relieve your symptoms. Some of the symptoms that can be helped by IBS medication include diarrhea, constipation, cramping or abdominal pain.
There is not currently a cure for IBS, but there are various treatments that will help you to deal with it. IBS medication basically aims to relieve the symptoms. Stress management and healthy diet changes will also help.
The medication types prescribed for IBS usually are intended to relieve symptoms, if yours don’t respond positively to a healthy diet change or home remedies. If constipation is your main problem, fiber supplements and drinking plenty of water will help. Regular exercise should also help to keep the occurrence of symptoms low.
If those medications fail, you may use laxatives like amitiza or polyethylene glycol to help increase fluids in the intestine. This helps the stool to pass more easily. Over the counter laxatives like Milk of Magnesia can help retain intestinal fluids, too. This will also help you by drawing fluids from other body areas to the intestine, to promote healthy bowel movements.
Stimulant laxatives like Senokot, Dulcolax and Correctol may also be used if you have constipation as one of your IBS symptoms. These medications irritate the intestinal lining so that bowel movements will move through more quickly. Don’t take these laxatives unless your physician directs you to. You don’t want to become reliant on medications in order to have regular bowel movements.
If your IBS manifests itself with bouts of diarrhea, you can use OTC medications that will help to relieve them. You might also be prescribed an agent that binds acid in the bile, which can then prevent your bile acids from over-stimulation of the large intestine.
Dicyclomine and anticholinergics are also used to help treat IBS. These help to relieve cramping and abdominal pain. You may also be prescribed an anti-spasmodic medication that relieves the effects of stress on your large intestine. In addition, some people experience depression with IBS, and antidepressants help with these feelings, as well as raising your pain tolerance, so that you are more comfortable.
