Seems we have two threads going here.
Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) is currently understood to be an altered nerve response(vagal) of the large and sometimes small bowel. This leads to a pattern of hypo or hyperactivity. Some patients suffer from diarrhea and fecal incontinence and some suffer from constipation. Some actual fluctuate between diarrhea and constipation. Although cathartics(like Milk of Magnesia) or anti-diarrheal may be necessary they are only symptomatic relief and can occasionally be too severe. Since the problem seems to be nerve imput to the gut, some success has been found with different medicines that effect neurotransmitters, many of these are anti-depressants and some patients fear the negative stereotype. The dietary key for most patients is high fiber diets which tend to stabilize the consistency of the stool, absorbing water for those with diarrhea and keeping things moving for those with constipation. Many alternate diagnoses may have to be excluded before it is safe to assume a patient has IBS.
Inflamatory Bowel Disease (IBD) such as Crohn's disease or Ulcerative Colitis are actually systemic autoimmune diseases that present with and primarily involve intestinal inflamation, although many non-intestinal symptoms are possible. These are progressively distructive diseases that may lead to scarring of the intestine especially if untreated. The primay therapy for flareups usually begins with "pulse dose steroids", shorts courses of high doses of corticosteroids like prednisone. Many therapies have been studied to attempt to slow the progression of the disease. These should be directed by a Board Certified Gastroenterologist, but once established flareups can be initially treated by your primary care giver.
Some symptomatic medications such as librax or bentyl may be necessary for either disease but remember these drugs treat the symptoms not the disease.
Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) is currently understood to be an altered nerve response(vagal) of the large and sometimes small bowel. This leads to a pattern of hypo or hyperactivity. Some patients suffer from diarrhea and fecal incontinence and some suffer from constipation. Some actual fluctuate between diarrhea and constipation. Although cathartics(like Milk of Magnesia) or anti-diarrheal may be necessary they are only symptomatic relief and can occasionally be too severe. Since the problem seems to be nerve imput to the gut, some success has been found with different medicines that effect neurotransmitters, many of these are anti-depressants and some patients fear the negative stereotype. The dietary key for most patients is high fiber diets which tend to stabilize the consistency of the stool, absorbing water for those with diarrhea and keeping things moving for those with constipation. Many alternate diagnoses may have to be excluded before it is safe to assume a patient has IBS.
Inflamatory Bowel Disease (IBD) such as Crohn's disease or Ulcerative Colitis are actually systemic autoimmune diseases that present with and primarily involve intestinal inflamation, although many non-intestinal symptoms are possible. These are progressively distructive diseases that may lead to scarring of the intestine especially if untreated. The primay therapy for flareups usually begins with "pulse dose steroids", shorts courses of high doses of corticosteroids like prednisone. Many therapies have been studied to attempt to slow the progression of the disease. These should be directed by a Board Certified Gastroenterologist, but once established flareups can be initially treated by your primary care giver.
Some symptomatic medications such as librax or bentyl may be necessary for either disease but remember these drugs treat the symptoms not the disease.
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