Alternative Treatment for IBS
What is IBS?
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disease. An estimated 25-45 million people in the United States suffer from IBS. Symptoms include chronic abdominal pain, bloating, excess gas and irregular bowel movements. Triggers such as anxiety, insomnia, and stress bring cause the symptoms to arise. There is no known cure to IBS, however, are numerous alternative treatments to prescription medication that help relieve symptoms.
Herbal Therapies
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal remedies treat a number of ailments and diseases including IBS
Pepermint
Peppermint helps treat IBS discomfort. Since it is a natural antispasmodic, it will help decrease muscle spasms in the gastrointestinal tract. Common ways to use peppermint include tea or oil, both can be found at your local health store and most grocery stores.
Fennel
Fennel helps bloating and gas due to IBS. It is a carminative, thus has properties that prevent the formation of excess gas in the gastrointestinal tract. Also it helps heartburn, indigestion and common stomach pain. You can find fennel seeds in your local health food store and you can make tea.
Ginger
Ginger can also be used to help IBS symptoms. It’s as an anti-inflammatory and is thought to strengthen the gastric lining and decrease nausea. You can buy ginger tea as well as make your own by boiling water with ginger root.
Acupuncture
This method treats chronic abdominal pain, bloating and other IBS symptoms. There is one study that specifically looked at acupuncture as a treatment for IBS. Acupuncture relieves pain and stress, which are common triggers for IBS. This is done by regulating blood flow and Qi through acupuncture points.
Watch the video below about how Balance Method Acupuncture relieved our patients IBS symptoms!
Probiotics
Healthy bacteria that normally live in your gut. Those with IBS do not have enough probiotics in their intestinal tract. You can easily add probiotics to your diet by eating foods such as yogurt and sourdough bread. Kombucha and kefir are drinks that also include probiotics. These supplements are located at your local health store.
Meditation and Exercise
These are excellent stress relievers and in turn can relieve IBS symptoms that are commonly caused by stress and anxiety.
Not only does exercise release endorphins that help fight stress, but regular physical activity can help regulate your gastrointestinal system.
Research done at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on meditation and IBS found that women who practiced mediation had around a 38 percent reduction in symptoms, according to U.S. News.
Meditation focuses on deep breathing and staying in the moment to relax the mind and body.
Alternative medicine including TCM and acupuncture can largely decrease your IBS symptoms and help you live a more pain-free life!