Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder that affects the large intestine. It usually causes abdominal pain, bloating, gas, cramps, constipation, and diarrhea. Despite these signs and symptoms of discomfort, IBS does not cause permanent damage to the colon. Diarrhea is one of the most unpleasant symptoms; Read on to learn how to control it with diet, lifestyle changes and medications.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: With Diet and Lifestyle Changes
Step 1. Add soluble fiber to your diet
Diarrhea occurs when there is too much water in the colon. This happens when you don't digest and liquid food passes through the small intestine and colon too quickly, preventing excess water from being absorbed into the bloodstream.
- Soluble fiber is able to absorb excess fluids in the intestine, so it makes too soft stools firmer - in essence it acts a bit like a sponge. Therefore, you should include at least one serving of a high-fiber food in each main meal.
- Foods rich in soluble fiber are apples, beans, berries, figs, kiwis, mangoes, legumes, oats, peaches, peas, plums, and sweet potatoes.
Step 2. Avoid caffeine
This substance stimulates the gastrointestinal system, causing strong contractions and more bowel movements, even in healthy individuals. In addition, it has a diuretic effect, which can worsen the dehydration caused by diarrhea.
- Choose the decaffeinated version of your favorite caffeinated drinks, such as coffee, tea and sodas.
- Drink plenty of water to compensate for the fluid loss caused by diarrhea. you should aim to drink 8-10 glasses a day.
Step 3. Don't drink alcohol
Drinking alcohol can affect the body's ability to absorb water. When intestinal cells absorb alcohol, they lose their ability to absorb water due to toxicity, as alcohol reduces the activity of the digestive tract.
- When the intestines don't absorb enough water along with nutrients, the excess water enters the colon, causing diarrhea. Therefore you should completely eliminate alcohol from your diet (or at least reduce it), to see if your IBS improves.
- If you need to stop drinking: opt for a small glass of red wine instead of spirits or beer.
Step 4. Avoid fatty foods
Some people have difficulty absorbing fat, and unassembled fat can stimulate the small intestine and colon to secrete more water, resulting in watery stools.
- Normally, the colon absorbs water from undigested liquid foods to solidify the stool. But if the intestines produce more, the colon is unable to absorb all of it, resulting in diarrhea.
- Therefore you should give up fatty foods such as fried foods, butter, sweets, junk food, cheeses and other such foods.
Step 5. Avoid foods that contain artificial sweeteners
Sugar substitutes such as sorbitol can cause diarrhea due to their laxative effects.
- Sorbitol exerts its laxative effect by drawing water into the large intestine, thus stimulating bowel movements.
- Artificial sweeteners are widely used in processed foods, such as sodas, baked goods, powdered drink mixes, canned goods, candy, sweets, jams, jellies and dairy products, so always check the label before consuming these. products.
Part 2 of 4: With Drugs
Step 1. Take antimotility drugs
Loperamide is usually recommended for IBS-associated diarrhea.
- This drug works by slowing the contractions of the muscles of the intestine and the speed with which food passes through the digestive system. This gives the stool more time to harden and solidify.
- The recommended dosage is 4 mg initially, with another 2 mg after each discharge of diarrhea, but you must not exceed 16 mg within 24 hours.
Step 2. Try antispasmodic medications
These are a group of drugs that control intestinal spasms, thereby reducing diarrhea. There are two main types of antispasmodics:
- Antimuscarinics: block the activity of acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter that stimulates the stomach muscles to contract). Thus the muscles relax, relieving the symptoms of abdominal muscle cramps. The commonly used antimuscarinic drug is scopolamine. For adults, the ideal dose is 10 mg to be taken 3-4 times a day.
- Smooth muscle relaxants: act directly on the smooth muscle of the intestinal wall, allowing the muscle to relax. This relieves pain and prevents diarrhea. Among the most common is alverine citrate.
- If your diarrhea doesn't improve using one type of antispasmodic drug, try another.
Step 3. Take pain relievers to relieve cramps
These drugs are indicated to relieve pain associated with abdominal muscle cramps. They work by blocking pain signals to the brain. If the pain signal does not reach the brain, it cannot be interpreted and perceived. Pain relievers are classified as:
- Simple pain relievers: these are readily available without a prescription and can be taken to relieve mild to moderate pain. among these the most common are paracetamol and acetaminophen. The doses of these drugs vary according to age, but the standard recommended dose for adults is 500 mg every 4-6 hours.
- Strong pain relievers: These are opioid drugs and can only be taken on prescription, they are prescribed when the pain is moderate or severe. The most common are codeine and tramadol. Make sure you follow your doctor's directions, as they can be addictive.
Step 4. Get prescribed antidepressants to relieve IBS symptoms
In some cases, these drugs may be recommended for IBS disorder. Antidepressants block pain messages between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain, thereby reducing visceral hypersensitivity (increased sensitivity of the nerves of the gastrointestinal tract).
- Tricyclics (TCAs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the groups of antidepressants most easily prescribed for IBS.
- Ask your doctor about the correct dosage, as the ideal dosages of these drugs vary by brand.
Part 3 of 4: Managing Stress
Step 1. Reduce your stress levels
It can worsen the symptoms of IBS and, consequently, of diarrhea. You must therefore try in every way to avoid tension and fatigue. To do this:
- Identify the source of stress - understanding the cause first will help you avoid it.
- Learn to say no; people often take on more commitments and responsibilities than they can handle, but this leads to increased stress. Know your limits and learn to give up when necessary.
- Express your emotions. Confiding in friends, family, and loved ones about any problems or difficulties you are experiencing can help you avoid running out of steam.
- Manage your time well. If you manage it badly, you can create stressful situations. Therefore, you should pay more attention to how you organize your day and learn to prioritize your responsibilities.
Step 2. Use hypnotherapy to decrease stress
Hypnotherapy has been shown to have a positive effect on IBS patients. The form of hypnotherapy followed in these sessions follows a protocol of 7-12 bowel-centered sessions initially developed by P. J. Whorwell. In these sessions the patient first relaxes in the hypnotic trance, then receives specific suggestions regarding gastrointestinal disorders. The final stage of hypnosis includes images that increase the patient's sense of confidence and well-being.
- While this procedure has been shown to have positive results, there is no evidence to explain why it works.
- Hypnotherapy can work on patients who are unresponsive to other forms of treatment.
Step 3. Try psychological treatments
Dynamic interpersonal therapy (TDI) is a type of interview-based treatment that focuses on exploring past relationships and improving social relationships. It is a form of psychotherapy based on the principle that unconscious attitudes, beliefs and thoughts can influence the way you act, feel and think.
- TDI is generally widely used in the UK. Field trials have shown a connection between this therapy and irritable bowel syndrome.
- This is generally a long-term therapy. Studies have made it clear that benefits do not come before 10 one-hour sessions, scheduled over the course of 3 months.
Step 4. Try Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TCC)
Research shows that people with irritable bowel syndrome who use TCC to learn behavioral strategies for managing their stress demonstrate significantly greater improvement than those who rely on medication alone. TCC works by teaching relaxation exercises, along with cognitive exercises to change existing belief systems and interpersonal stressors.
- Those following a cognitive-behavioral therapy path learn to recognize existing patterns of maladaptive behavior and responses to a variety of situations. For example, IBS sufferers may feel that their situation "will never change," thereby creating anxiety and stress. Using TCC the patient learns to recognize the existence of this thought, and to replace it with another more positive one.
- TCC is typically practiced in 10-12 individual sessions. There are also group paths.
Step 5. Exercise more
Exercise lowers stress levels; in addition, new research suggests that it can help the digestive process. Exercise increases the motility of the colon (i.e. the passage of waste and other secretions through it), the duration of this passage and the amount of gas present in this part of the intestine.
- Include at least 3 workouts per week, with 20-60 minutes of moderate or vigorous exercise. Possible options include walking, cycling, running, swimming or hiking.
- If you are not physically active, start slowly. Find a partner or training group. Share your goals on social media, where you can find support and encouragement.
- Exercise helps build confidence, which in turn reduces stress.
Part 4 of 4: Understanding IBS and Diarrhea
Step 1. Understand what IBS is
Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder that affects the large intestine (colon). It generally causes abdominal pain, bloating, gas, cramps, constipation, and diarrhea.
- IBS sufferers usually experience an increase in the sensitivity of the nerves in the gastrointestinal tract (bowel hypersensitivity). IBS can develop after a gastrointestinal infection or after an operation that causes injury or damage to the nerves in the intestine.
- As a result, intestinal sensations are reduced, causing abdominal discomfort or pain. Eating even small amounts of food can create discomfort when they enter the intestines.
- Thankfully, unlike other serious bowel diseases, this disorder does not cause inflammation or changes in bowel tissue. In many cases, a person with IBS can keep it under control by managing their diet, lifestyle, and stress.
Step 2. Learn about the symptoms of IBS
Among the many non-specific symptoms you may encounter, the most common are:
- Abdominal pain. Pain or discomfort in the abdominal region is a major clinical feature. The intensity of the pain can vary widely, from quite mild to the point of being ignored, to being debilitating and interfering with daily activities. It is often a sporadic pain and can be experienced as cramping or persistent pain.
- Altered intestinal habits. This is the main symptom of IBS. The most common feature is constipation alternating with diarrhea.
- Distension and flatulence. Patients often complain of these unpleasant symptoms, which are attributed to an increase in gas in the intestine.
- Upper gastrointestinal disorders. Heartburn, nausea, vomiting and dyspepsia (indigestion) are symptoms reported in 25-50% of patients with IBS.
- Diarrhea. Diarrhea usually occurs between episodes of constipation (which can last from weeks to even a few months), but it can also be a predominant symptom. Stool may contain large amounts of mucus, but never traces of blood (unless the hemorrhoids are inflamed). Also, nocturnal diarrhea does not occur in patients suffering from this condition.
Step 3. Make sure there are no other possible causes of diarrhea
Diarrhea can be a symptom of many conditions, not just IBS, so you must rule out all other possible causes by undergoing various diagnostic procedures before stating that IBS is responsible for your discomfort.
- More often it is an infectious agent, such as salmonella or shigella, which can cause food poisoning but is usually accompanied by fever and an increase in the white blood cell count.
- Hyperthyroidism, malabsorption, lactose deficiency and celiac disease are other conditions that can cause chronic diarrhea.
