Alternative Therapies for IBS

Several alternative approaches have been used to try and manage IBS. There is evidence that sleep is disturbed in some patients with IBS and this has led to work with melatonin as a sleep-promoting agent. In one randomized trial from Singapore, 3 mg of melatonin at bedtime for 2 weeks did reduce abdominal pain as well as rectal pain sensitivity.

Further work is needed to assess the value of melatonin in IBS. Psychological treatments have been tested in IBS and current evidence does support the view that these approaches can reduce symptoms and improve well-being. Some have suggested that this is because psychological therapies activate endogenous pain regulation pathways in the brain.

Hypnosis is one method where there is increasing empirical evidence of benefit, although large randomized controlled trials are lacking. Currently, IBS is relatively straightforward to diagnose based on clinical grounds. However, management remains frustrating, as current treatments largely do not target the underlying pathogenesis, but rather take a symptom-based approach.

Cure of IBS will rely on further understanding the underlying causes and pathophysiology and developing treatments that can prevent or reverse these abnormalities. There is now hope that in the future this will indeed be possible. So, research into IBS and related, unexplained gastrointestinal syndromes is currently in a particularly exciting phase.

Tegaserod is a serotonin type 4 agonist that has been shown to have modest efficacy in constipation-predominant IBS in women. There is no convincing evidence of efficacy in men, although the clinical trials were underpowered to determine efficacy here. The drug appears to be reasonably safe and effective.

However, diarrhoea and headache are well-recognized side-effects. There have been reports of ischaemic colitis in patients on tegaserod, but there appears to be an increased incidence of ischaemic colitis in IBS and these reports may not reflect a cause-and-effect correlation. The major problem with tegaserod is its cost.

Alosetron is a serotonin type 3 antagonist that has been shown to be efficacious in women and men with diarrhoea-predominant IBS. The efficacy may be less in men based on recent clinical trial data. Ischaemic colitis and severe constipation have limited its use. Several antibiotics to treat suspected bacterial overgrowth in IBS has gained momentum following recent trials.

There is evidence that rifaximin, a non-absorbable antibiotic, may be superior to placebo in terms of reducing some IBS symptoms, although large, high-quality clinical trials are yet to be conducted and the length of response remains unknown. Based on the current evidence, it is premature to recommend treatment with antibiotics. Probiotics may be an alternative approach and seem promising.

The first property for IBS treatments is the levels of influence a select few medicinal plants exhibit as a treatment for IBS. Devoid of negative side effects when used per directions, IBS DropsRx is composed of medicinal plant extracts exhibiting the highest pharmacological effect against this condition while delivering fast irritable bowel syndrome treatment.

Medicinal plant extracts exhibiting a calming analgesic effect, with antispasmolytic properties on the smooth muscle of the bowel and gut are what make IBS DropsRx so unique and successful as an irritable bowel syndrome treatment formula. Oral intake reduces colonic pressure and prevents foaming, all of which helps reduce colic pain, as reported in the medical journal Lancet.

In order to provide full reversal of the condition and produce the absolute best IBS treatment, IBS DropsRx have been concentrated with a wide spectrum of very specific plant extracts exhibiting a curative effect in treatment for IBS. Peppermint oil is concentrated in IBS DropsRx, which is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and system.

The extracts in IBS DropsRx provide a calming sedative effect. They deliver a profound calming effect not only on the physical imbalance caused by IBS but also on an emotional level. They have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-spasmodic effects, giving this IBS treatment great value. To learn more, please go to http://www.naturespharma.org.