How to Treat IBS: 7 Commonly-Prescribed Treatments That Do NOT Cure Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable Bowel Syndrome, often referred to as IBS or colitis, is a gastrointestinal disorder, and the recommendations for how to treat IBS run the gamut. Because it is a very common disease, with statistics showing that every one out of five adults suffer from IBS in the United States, there is a great deal of misinformation online about treatments for the condition.

The common symptoms of the disease include abdominal pain, bloated stomach, heart burn and abdominal cramps. Some patients may have constipation while others may have diarrhea, fever, bleeding and weight loss. IBS is a disease that causes a great deal of discomfort and life upset. If you have one or more of these symptoms, you'll probably begin searching the Internet for cures and treatments for your condition. Most of the information that you will discover may help mitigate your symptoms but won't cure the disease, even though the treatments are recommended as cures.

Here are 7 examples of commonly-prescribed treatments that you will discover as you research how to treat IBS that do not work to cure IBS:

1. Yoga: Yoga was practiced by the ancient sages of India. There are some specific yoga asanas to improve the digestion and to manage the symptoms like diarrhea, constipation, bloating and others. Yoga is a combination of physical and mental exercises. The exercises focus on deep breathing, de-stressing and restoring balance to all organs and systems of the human body. The yoga asanas for IBS include the forward bend, the abdominal twist, the gas-relieving pose and breathing exercises. While these practices may help alleviate some IBS symptoms, yoga is not a cure.

2. Acupuncture and acupressure: These are Chinese medicinal practices that involve treating diseases by pricking fine needles or apply pressure on specific points in the body. Both of these procedures are effective in treating many diseases. An acupuncturist can help in relaxing muscle spasms and improve bowel function. While these practices may help mitigate some IBS symptoms, acupuncture and acupressure are not cures.

3. Home remedies: Home remedies like taking ginger and asafoetida are commonly recommended for IBS. Ginger paste mixed with lemon juice and honey and taken after every meal is recommended to make sure the food you eat is digested well. Drinking gooseberry water and eating pomegranate seeds are other common home remedies recommended for how to treat IBS. While these practices may help alleviate some IBS symptoms, home remedies are not the cure.

4. Stress management: Stress is often listed as a primary cause of IBS. Therefore, the recommendation to manage stress is to indulge yourself in a hobby that you like. Exercise regularly. Go for brisk walking or vigorous swimming or jogging or cycling to reduce stress. Sleep well. Practice yoga. While these practices may help reduce some IBS symptoms, stress management is not the cure.

5. Hypnosis: A trained hypnotist helps you in relaxing and can help you learn how to relax tense abdominal muscles to avoid cramps. While these practices may help overcome some IBS symptoms, hypnosis is not the cure.

6. Diet: Avoiding processed foods, spicy foods, fried foods and acidic foods is a commonly recommended protocol for treating IBS, as is eating a diet rich in fiber. Actually, the best diet for IBS is one in which you eat low fiber foods that won't aggravate the already-inflamed intestinal tissue. This means no raw fruits or vegetables, and no nuts, seeds, or corn until you get your IBS fixed. While these practices may help alleviate some IBS symptoms, a different diet is not the cure. Actually, when you're cured of IBS, you can eat whatever you like.

7. Life style modifications: Typical modifications include no alcohol and smoking, drinking plenty of water, regular exercise, and getting plenty of sleep. While these are all generally good recommendations for enhancing your lifestyle and may alleviate some IBS symptoms, lifestyle modifications are not the cure.

Here's the best way to treat your IBS -- naturopathy. IBS is caused from antibiotics you have taken over your lifetime. These antibiotics have caused damage to the mucosal lining of your intestines. If you want to get rid of IBS permanently, the damaged mucosal lining must be rebuilt. Naturopathic treatment does wonders in rebuilding the mucosal lining and intestinal wall through ingesting natural nutritional compounds. Naturopathy also helps to reinoculate beneficial organisms to help rebuild your GI tract.

The above commonly-recommended treatment options may help you manage your IBS symptoms. However, rebuilding the mucosal lining of your intestines is the only cure for IBS that works and is how to treat IBS.