Is there a cure to IBS?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a bit of an enigma. We don’t really fully understand what causes it or how to explain why some people get the symptoms, which in turn can be variable. The symptoms can include tummy pain, bloating and varying degrees of constipation and diarrhoea. Each person can have a variety and mixture of symptoms. There is no one specific test which can confirm or refute the diagnosis and sometimes it can be confused with other bowel conditions. So maybe it is not surprising that for this chronic disorder, considering all the gaps in our knowledge, there is no specific cure. Medication does not always help and a full understanding of the nature of the condition is needed. Many people accept that there is no specific and effective treatment available, as long as they understand that there is nothing seriously wrong. Sometimes supplementing the oral intake of dietary fibre may help some people. This is a relatively safe treatment, however generally speaking, specific drug treatment (and a number have been tried) can be disappointing in its effectiveness.

This article first appeared in issue 9 of benhealth,the magazine for Benenden Healthcare members.