IBS or Irritable bowel syndrome is also known under the name spastic colon, or irritable colon, or nervous stomach. It refers to the gastrointestinal malfunctioning. There are several symptoms and signs of this disorder such as pain in the abdomen, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal fullness, the frequency of stool, bloating, even nausea, vomiting, fever, muscle pain, and fatigue. All these signs appear because the intestine nerves and muscles are not functioning as they should due to some infection, thus causing bowel irritation.
IBS is not very serious disease for the life of a person who has it, but it has the negative effects on the person’s lifestyle. There is no cure for Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) but there exists medication which can alleviate the symptoms. The patient must visit the doctor and with him, after various tests, decide which medication best suits him, since each medication has some side effects.
Medications for IBS includes laxatives, antispasmodics, antidiarrheals, tricyclic antidepressants, serotonin agonists and serotonin antagonists, as well as some others agents such as magnesium aluminum silicates and alverine citrate drugs.
Laxatives are used to soften the stool. Polyethylene glycol, Sorbitol and Lactulose are osmotic laxatives, often referred to as stimulant laxatives. One of the most effective laxatives is Lubiprostone with the high tolerance in adults.
Antispasmodics are used when a person has problems with cramps or diarrhea. This causes great pain. The most widespread antispasmodics are Donatol, Levsin, Levbid, Nulev, Bentyl, and Pro-Banthine for children. There are neurotropics, such as Atropine, which is efficient with nerves, and muscletropics, such as Mebeverine, that lessen the spasm. The antispasmodics are usually taken 4 times a day 30 minutes before eating.
It is proven that small doses of trycyclic antidepressants can be very helpful for the IBS, especially for constipation and stimulation of serotonin production. It is very important that these antidepressants are used under the surveillance of the physician. To lessen the pain, the doctor would rarely prescribe narcotic analgesics, although they are the most effective of all the painkillers, except when the severe pain is in the question, because of forming addiction to it.
The ordinary antidiarrheal medications are Imodium and Lomotil. They should be taken with a plenty of fresh water. Lomotil is recommended to be avoided, because it can develop the addiction.
Among the serotonin agonists there is one, called Tegaserod, that has positive effects on the Irritable bowel syndrome, while among the serotonine atagonists there are two: Alosetron and Cilansetron.
Amitiza and Zelnorm are two drugs for Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) that are used by younger women. These two drugs enable easier bowel movement.
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