Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common disorders of digestive system producing a spectrum of symptoms such as persistent and recurring abdominal pain associated with passing of motion, change of bowel habit (diarrhea, constipation, or alternating diarrhea and constipation), etc. without any apparent cause.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the disorder of function, which means that the bowel doesn't work, as it should. If one visualizes the bowel, it appears perfectly normal without any inflammation or other structural changes. In people with IBS, the intestines squeeze too hard or not hard enough and cause food to move too quickly or too slowly through the intestines.

What Are the Symptoms of IBS?

People with IBS have symptoms that can include:

Diarrhea (often described as violent episodes of diarrhea)

Constipation

Constipation alternating with diarrhea

Belly pains or cramps, usually in the lower half of the belly, that get worse after meals and feel better after a bowel movement

A lot of gas or bloating

Harder or looser stools than normal (pellets or flat ribbon stools)

A belly that sticks out

Stress can make symptoms worse.

How does Homeopathy treat IBS?

IBS can have significant impact on individual's social, personal, and professional life. Homeopathy offers proven treatment for the IBS which treats the Mind and Body connections. IBS calls for the treatment which should address the emotional stress, the stress coping system and the intestinal hypersensitivity. This is what homeopathy attempts doping exactly. The scientific and documented study shows that the homeopathic treatment helps achieve:

Soothing of mind

Slowing down of negative emotions such as anxiety, sadness, frustration, hyperactivity, anger, restlessness, etc.

Helping body's stress coping system

Alleviating the abnormal hypersensitivity of the bowels

Relieving the symptoms of bowel hyper-motility

Enhancing level of joyous state of mind

Individualistic approach whereby every patient is treated based on one's case

Homeopathic Treatment-

The Homeopathy medicine works at the deeper level, bringing the deviations of harmony among various systems of body back to normalcy. The homeopathic medicine establishes a good communication between the brain and the gut, thus ensuring proper relay of signals. The positive outcome of this is that the motility of intestines becomes regular and rhythmic, thus relieving complaints of either diarrhea or constipation or both.

Moreover, Homeopathy improves the pain threshold of individual, thus alleviating symptoms of pain and cramps associated with IBS. Homeopathy medicines work at deeper level of an individual to root out root causes. The two factors that are triggering causes of IBS are emotional stress and exaggerated sensitivity to food items.

Homeopathy has very well perceived the influences of psyche on the physique of an individual. Homeopathy medicines positively influences the emotions and thinking of an individual so that the person can cope with stress optimistically. Homeopathy medicines have proven efficacy to manage mental stress and its offshoots like IBS. Homeopathy medicines aid in minimizing food sensitivities and allergies.

Homeopathy and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome which is referred to as IBS, in short, is a set of health symptoms that occur at the same time. These symptoms include abdominal pain, changes in bowel movements such as diarrhoea and constipation. You may experience these symptoms in the digestive tract without noticing any visible signs. An irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder that occurs as a result of interactions with the brain and the gut; this is related to functional gastrointestinal disorders. Therefore, irritable bowel syndrome is a type of functional gastrointestinal disorder. The problems can result in the gut-turning extremely sensitive. This alters how the muscles contract in the bowel movements. There are certain home remedies that you can adopt in order to gain some relief from irritable bowel syndrome which is as follows:

A Fiber-Rich Diet: Fiber-rich food items can provide relief from a case of constipation. But at the same time it can cause gas, and in case you are a person already suffering from gas, it will increase it. It can lead to cramping as well. Once you start having fiber-rich food items such as beans, vegetables and fruits, try to gradually increase the amount in your daily diet. If you want to avoid the discomforting feeling of bloating and gas you can take fiber supplements instead. Also, make sure that stay miles away from food items that show even the slightest chance of triggering your symptoms.
Time Matters: Skipping meals is never a good idea when it comes to your health. Also, make sure that you eat your meals at a fixed time every day. This practice will keep your bowel in proper functioning order. For patients suffering from frequent episodes of diarrhoea, eating small portions of food every few hours is a good option and for people suffering from constipation eating bigger portions of high-fiber foods will be extremely beneficial to facilitate smooth movement of the food through the intestines.
Exercise Every Day: Exercising every day is a very healthy practice that ensures a healthy mind and body. Exercising not only stimulates body functions such as contractions of the intestines but also de-stresses you and relieves you from depressive thoughts.
Include Probiotics: According to recent studies, it has been found that Probiotics can aid in providing relief from symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Probiotics are termed as  good bacteria  that normally reside in the intestines and can also be found in yoghurt. There are also dietary supplements available that contain a considerable amount of Probiotics.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) - What To Expect

Ibs is a common intestinal disorder causing pain in the stomach, gas, diarrhea and constipation. The condition affects millions of people around the world, mostly women. It may not fully be cured, but the condition can be kept under control diet and lifestyle changes and in severe cases with medication and treatment. The most common affected age groups are between 6 to 18 and 41 to 60. 

Causes: there are several triggers to ibs although doctors are yet to determine a specific cause. Because ibs happens more in women than men, some people believe that hormones are responsible for it. Other studies suggest that ibs is triggered when
A. The colon becomes hypersensitive reacting to an external stimulation
B. The bowel muscles spasm causing diarrhea or constipation
C. The muscles in the bowel don't squeeze normally, causing diarrhea or constipation
D. There is an imbalance in chemicals like serotonin and gastrin which are responsible for the communication between the brain and the digestive system
E. Certain bacteria in the bowel can cause this condition
So far, there are no extensive studies to back any of these theories. 

Signs and symptoms: people with ibs have symptoms that can include diarrhea and /or constipation, sometimes alternating with each other, stomach cramps, gas and bloating and a belly that sticks out. Stress may, in some cases, aggravate the problem.

Diagnosis: unfortunately there are no specific tests to identify ibs as the causes itself can vary in a big spectrum. Using your symptoms as a guide, the doctor may run tests to check for food allergies, lactose intolerance, reactions to any medications you may be taking like blood pressure drugs, infection in the stomach, enzyme deficiencies where the pancreas isn't releasing enough enzymes to digest the food properly and inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis or crohn's disease. You may have to undergo a colonoscopy or endoscopy, blood tests, stool tests and allergy tests for your doctor to devise a treatment that can best treat your specific symptoms.

Treatment: because the symptoms and causes are so varied, there is no one specific treatment of ibs. You will need to identify and understand your specific triggers to isolate it and then make changes accordingly in conjunction with lifestyle change and medication.

Lifestyle changes: look at ibs as a trigger to make you move into a healthier lifestyle and improved diet. Here are some basic changes that your doctor may prescribe
- avoid coffee tea and sugary sodas
- drink 8 glasses of water per day and time your water intake as per your food
- limit fatty foods, milk and cheese
- add wholesome fiber to your food. 
- relax and get some me time
- add a good quantity of regular exercise

There is nothing here that you already didn't know can lead to a healthier life. It's just that you'll have to take it seriously now that the doctor has prescribed it for you. If you suspect that you are suffering from ibs, consult your expert medical practitioner today!

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Who Is at Risk?

A surprising large number of people suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition characterized by a combination of stomach pain, abdominal discomfort and abnormal bowel movement such as diarrhea or constipation. This condition is not life threatening, but can make you very uncomfortable and increase your risk of suffering from other colon problems. Ayurveda can be very effective in treating irritable bowel syndrome. Here are a few tips.

A healthy diet
Diet is one of the most important facets of Ayurveda. To prevent bowel difficulties eat plenty of fiber and easy to digest foods. Cumin seeds, pomegranate and buttermilk can also aid digestion and prevent this condition. Drinking warm water can also aid digestion. On the other hand, curd, junk food, acidic beverages and food that causes bloating and excessive gas production such as potatoes, cabbage and cauliflower should be reduced or removed from your daily diet.

Yoga asanas
Yoga works on the physical and psychological levels of a person. It also massages and strengthens a number of different organs. Stress is one of the biggest causes of irritable bowel syndrome. Yoga can help combat stress and alleviates anxiety and aids relaxation. A few basic yoga asanas that can help ease pain and treat this condition are:

Marjariasana
Pavanamuktasana
Downward facing dog
Ardhamatsyendrasena
Bhujangasana
Dhanurasana
Panchakarma
This is an Ayurvedic cleansing process that enhances the metabolic process and eliminates toxins from the body. Panchakarma literally means 5 techniques or forms of treatment. This includes vamana, virechana, basti, nasya and raktamokshana. These processes make the mind and body more receptive to food and medicines that treat irritable bowel syndrome.

Probiotics: Probiotics supplement your natural gut bacteria and help break down complex foods. It can also help alleviate bloating, abdominal pain and regularize bowel movements. Probiotics can be found in oatmeal, whole grains and a number of fruits and vegetables like asparagus, onions and bananas.
Herbs: Ayurveda also utilizes the properties of herbs to treat health conditions. Half a spoon of turmeric taken twice a day can help reduce intestinal inflammation and reduce bloating and abdominal pain. Drinking a concoction made by steeping spoonful of dried mint leaves or coriander seeds in hot water for ten minutes can also help deal with this condition. Equal quantities of powdered dry ginger, pepper and pippali can help regulate digestion. 

Know How To Treat IBS with Ayurveda!

IBS or irritable bowel syndrome, also called irritable bowel, is a disorder that is striking many more people today than ever. It is basically a gastrointestinal motility disorder with no known cause. Not sure, if it has struck you too? Here are the common symptoms of this scourge. You have abdominal pain followed by severe bloating with abdominal cramps after eating. You also feel that your bowels are always full and you suffer from chronic diarrhea, constipation or a combination of both.

What is the treatment for IBS? 

None or close to none, in allopathy. Doctors will give you medicines to manage symptoms and once the medicines are stopped, IBS strikes again. IBS is called  Grahani  in Ayurveda which is the name given to the small intestine because of its property to store and metabolize food. In the small intestine, which sees a lot of agni or enzymatic activity, food is held for a long time till it is digested. But when agni is weak due to malfunctioning digestive enzymes, the small intestine releases food in an undigested form.

There are 4 different types of Grahani based on the type of dosha which is disturbed.

Ayurveda uses the principle of involvement of doshas to understand symptoms in different types of IBS and also provide a system of treatment specific to that particular dosha imbalance. Ayurvedic treatments encompass herbs, food and lifestyle changes.

The concept of weak digestion or  Mand-agni  is also the key, as it leads to the accumulation of Ama , which causes IBS.
When levels of ama are high, the doctor will treat it with fasting and by giving you digestives and carminatives. He will ask you to drink warm water.
In constipation predominant IBS, the doctor will use digestives like chitrakadi vati and shankha vati to get rid of ama. He will also prescribe medicinal ghee preparations such as dashmuladi ghrita and thryushanadi ghrita.
Emesis (vamana) is used to treat diarrhea-predominant IBS.
The Ayurvedic treatment for dysentery predominant IBS is use of laxatives or virechana and use of herbs with spicy and sour tastes.
Complex IBS is treated with the panchakarma, supported by digestives.
Ayurveda relies a lot on buttermilk to treat IBS as it is digestive, astringent, and light to digest. It is usually given with herbs like asafetida, cumin, and rock-salt powder to control bowel movements. Buttermilk also contains a good amount of lactobacillus bacteria, which help to restore the normal flora of the GI tract.
Doctors will ask you to abstain from vata increasing foods like cabbage and beans, if you suffer from flatulence. Restriction of dairy and fruits like bananas may also be required. You will be asked to take a light diet and do away with cheese, non-veg and hard, cold foods. You will also be eating a lot of ginger, fennel and cumin that stimulate secretion of digestive enzymes for treating IBS.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Ways Ayurveda Can Help!

Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS includes a group of medical symptoms. These include abdominal pain and changes in the pattern of bowel movements. The symptoms mostly continue for a long period of time and are divided into four types depending on diarrhoea or constipation symptoms.

Irritable bowel syndrome causes several negative effects on our health and should be treated as soon as possible. IBS is caused because of various reasons and factors. They are as follows:

Digestive problems: Food is moved through the digestive system with the help of squeezing and relaxation movement of the intestinal muscles in a certain rhythm. In case of IBS, this process is altered and food moves through the digestive system very fast or very slow. When the food moves too fast, diarrhoea is caused as there is not enough time for absorption of water from food. In case of slow food movement, constipation occurs as a result of too much absorption of water. Disorders such as malabsorption of bile acid may also cause IBS in some cases.
Psychological factors: Psychological factors also play a vital role in IBS. When a person is overtly emotional or is suffering from intense stress or anxiety, then these emotions trigger chemical changes in the body which affect the proper functioning of the digestive system. This is not likely in all people who get IBS. People who did not have IBS before, may undergo changes in bowel movements because of immense stress and tension. Many people who have undergone a traumatic experience such as abuse, neglect or a childhood disease can get IBS. These traumatic events or experiences in the past made these people more sensitive to stress, which may result in IBS.
Several triggers of IBS: There are several food items and drinks, which may trigger the symptoms of IBS in a person. These triggers vary from person to person. The most common ones include alcohol, aerated drinks, chocolates, drinks which contain caffeine like coffee or cola, processed snacks such as crackers and biscuits and fried foods, which contain a lot of fat. You should maintain a food diary for identification of triggers that may lead to IBS in your everyday diet. Stress is also an important trigger which may lead to IBS. You should try to find ways to get rid of stress and must avoid over stressing.
Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS results due to several reasons which may be physical or psychological. If you experience symptoms of IBS, you must try to detect or diagnose the reason and then look for proper treatment while consulting with your physician.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Causes Behind it

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