There are new approaches from complementary medicine for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Irritable bowel syndrome is neither contagious nor malignant. However, the severe symptoms can have a significant impact on the quality of life of those suffering from IBS. Many of them ask themselves: “Is conventional medicine really the only way to get a diagnosis and treat whatever is causing my IBS?”
In fact, complementary medicine does offer approaches, which may not be recognised by conventional medicine but have been tried and tested in practice for many years. Everybody affected by IBS must decide for themselves whether they would like to try out these additional possibilities.
Studies have shown, e.g. that there is a relationship between a delayed food allergy and irritable bowel syndrome.
Individuals with a delayed food allergy can produce an elevated level of antibodies to combat certain foodstuffs. A study from 2012* showed that around half of patients with irritable bowel syndrome and diarrhoea had an elevated level of antibodies. Symptoms improved significantly just a few weeks after patients changed their diets to avoid the food in question.
This means that an IgG antibody test like ImuPro can play an important role in diagnosis and treatment in order to achieve a significant reduction of IBS symptoms, when combined with a subsequent change to a patient’s diet. More information about ImuPro is available at www.imupro.com.
Additional studies related to IgG-specific elimination diets and IBS:
- Atkinson et al., Food elimination based on IgG antibodies in irritable bowel syndrome: a randomised controlled trial, Gut 2004; 53: 1459 – 1464
- E Isolauri et al., Food allergy in irritable bowel syndrome: new facts and old fallacies, Gut 2004; 53: 1391 – 1393
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a group of chronic complaints affecting the gastrointestinal tract.
Symptoms can occur individually, at the same time, or one after the other:
- Abdominal pain
- A feeling of fullness and bloating
- Diarrhoea and/or constipation.
IBS can also lead to problems outside of the gastrointestinal tract, such as anxiety or depression, menstrual cramps, fatigue and difficulty concentrating. IBS affects approximately 10 to 15% of the population in Germany. It is more common among women than men.
The causes are not precisely known. As a result, psychological reasons are often considered to be the problem. Gut motility disorders and severe pain sensitivity are some of the other factors which appear to play a role. Food intolerances are also frequently discussed in this context.
“Irritable bowel” is therefore a diagnosis of exclusion. It is only diagnosed when there is no sign of an organic disease.
There is currently no cure for IBS. The symptoms can be treated with medication to combat pain, constipation or diarrhoea. Traditional methods for treating IBS also include general dietary recommendations, or even psychotherapy.
Persistent diarrhoea may also be caused by food intolerances. A simple five-day elimination diet can provide some indication of whether this is the case.
People with persistent gastrointestinal issues should always speak to a doctor in order to rule out serious illnesses.
* Study of IBS and delayed food allergy: H Guo, T Jiang, J Wang et al., The Value of Eliminating Foods According to Food-specific IgG Antibodies in Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Diarrhoea, The Journal of International Medical Research. 2012; 40: 204-21
