Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation or IBS-C is a chronic functional gut disorder that involves altered bowel motility and bowel function. The pattern is quite clear for anyone who has suffered from the condition.
The gut is literally out of rhythm and it’s common to experience chronic constipation, abdominal pain and bloating and then sometimes unpredictable stool frequency, which interferes with daily activities for a lot of patients.
You might believe that symptoms can be managed by attempting to self-regulate them, but it is not possible to manage chronic constipation without the aid of a medical diagnosis. Your constipation may be far more complex and will require an official medical diagnosis in order to fully assess and understand the scope of the condition.
Also, there are many more alternatives to laxatives than most people realise when it comes to modern day IBS-C treatments. The condition is usually best managed with a combined therapy including medication for IBS C, personalized IBS-C diet changes, and a range of strategies to address the gut brain communication involved in the condition.
If you are suffering from a digestive health condition, there are a number of different medical options that can be used to help manage your symptoms.
The first step in your journey to getting healthy is understanding what options are available to you. Based on the latest medical research, the following are the top 5 medical options that are currently being used by gastroenterologists in Patna.
Top 5 Treatments for IBS-C Relief
Managing IBS-C is about understanding and treating the condition itself. The treatments discussed in the following sections represent all of the current options available within the field of gastroenterology — from dietary to medicinal, from gut-brain therapy to exercise therapy.
Each method works in a different way. It is likely that the best results for any individual will be achieved by using a combination of two or more of these methods under the direction of a doctor.
1. Dietary Therapy: Low-FODMAP and Fiber Optimization
Your diet is the first step in treating IBS constipation. The low-FODMAP diet works by decreasing the fermentable carbohydrates that feed the bacteria in your gut, leading to gas and bloating. Your symptoms can be greatly reduced in weeks when you stop eating high amounts of these carbohydrates.
Fiber is an important factor to consider in the management of IBS-C. However, not all fiber is created equal. Psyllium husk contains soluble fiber. This type of fiber forms a gel-like mass in the bowel that absorbs water, creating a softer, more moist stool that is easier to pass through.
Using wheat bran, which contains insoluble fiber, can cause problems as it can be irritating to the gut lining and lead to worsening of the IBS-C symptoms. It is a myth that having IBS-C means that you need to eat less. It means you need to eat more selectively and wisely.
Quick Tips:
- Reduce: onions, garlic, apples, wheat, legumes, and lactose-heavy dairy
- There are some foods that may help alleviate some of the symptoms of IBS constipation – and in fact these foods may be particularly beneficial to people with IBS-C. Foods for IBS constipation include oats, bananas, carrots, rice, and cooked spinach.
- Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day because water is crucial for the bowel movements and stool consistency.
Dietary changes take consistency to show results. Pairing food adjustments with other treatments gives you a stronger foundation to build on.
2. Prescription Medications That Improve Bowel Function
If diet and lifestyle changes do not help your constipation, your physician may prescribe IBS medication for constipation to help manage the symptoms. The following are the main drug classes for the treatment of IBS-C:
- Osmotic laxatives: Draw water into the colon to soften stool and stimulate movement
- Guanylate cyclase-C agonists: Increase fluid secretion in the intestine to ease stool passage
- Chloride channel activators: Stimulate intestinal fluid production for more frequent bowel movements
- Prosecretory agents: Work on gut receptors to accelerate transit and reduce pain
There are no over the counter medicine for IBS that have been proven to be effective in the treatment. Your doctor will decide which of the medications listed may be appropriate for you.
This decision will depend on a variety of factors including: the severity of your symptoms, the length of time you have had IBS-C symptoms, and whether you have tried other methods of managing your symptoms and simpler measures have failed.
It is also important to remember that only your doctor can decide which medication is right for you. This is because the decision to use any one medication is based on a number of factors that are unique to your diagnosis.
Why Self-Medication Is Not Recommended
The common mistake with IBS-C is that patients either try to take laxatives, or try to relieve the bowel by using OTC gut medications. This can mask the underlying problem and may lead to dependency.
Dr. Vijay Prakash, being the best gastroenterologist in Patna at Big Apollo Spectra Hospital, has the expertise of diagnosing the condition accurately and offers specialized IBS-C evaluation. Only after proper diagnosis, the doctor prescribes evidence-based treatments tailored to your individual needs.
The right medication, in the right dose, at the right time really does make a difference. It is really important to have a full medical assessment before you start on any new medication as the long term effects of any random OTC medications can be quite damaging to the gut.
3. Gut-Brain Therapies for IBS Symptom Control
People often assume that the problems of IBS-C are primarily related to bowel movements. However, IBS-C is actually a multi-system condition that affects the gut-brain axis.
This means that the communication between the brain and gut is affected. So, when treating IBS, it is essential to take a holistic approach which addresses the psychological, neurological and physical effects.
Mindfulness and relaxation training as well as cognitive behavioral therapy to change the body’s perception of pain are some of the ways to modulate this pathway.
There is a good amount of clinical evidence that gut-directed hypnotherapy reduces IBS symptoms severity. Some of the neuromodulator medications can also calm an overactive gut-brain axis.
How Stress Worsens Constipation and Pain
Your Gut Reacts to Stress: Here’s Why!
When we are stressed, our bodies have many different ways of coping with the stress. One way that our body copes with stress is by reducing blood flow to the GI tract, reducing the rate of gut motility, and increasing sensitivity to pain.
The result is that we can easily get into a cycle that leads to problems of constipation and abdominal pain. The issues can become quite uncontrollable and will only worsen if you do not take into consideration the mind and body connection.
Note that gut-brain therapies aren’t a replacement for your meds, but they can be a very powerful addition. Patients often have dramatic improvement in their condition when they start to work on their stress and diet and also take their medication on time.
4. Probiotics and Gut Microbiome Support
You have trillions of bacteria living in your gut and your gut function is a balance of those bacteria. In IBS-C that balance is disrupted and various strains of probiotics (different types of bacteria) have been studied and proven to be of benefit in managing some of the bowel changes seen in IBS-C, including the use of certain strains of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus to improve stool consistency, decrease bloating and to regularize bowel movement frequency.
It can take 4 to 8 weeks for probiotics to start working, so it is a long term process. They are likely to be more effective if combined with other treatments and patients should seek advice from their doctor when choosing a probiotic as not all strains are of benefit in treating IBS-C.
When Probiotics May Help vs. When They May Worsen Bloating
Probiotics may be helpful if your IBS-C has developed because of damage to your gut following an infection or because of a disturbed microbiome. A suitable strain of probiotic may help in the promotion of regular bowel movements in these cases.
However if you have SIBO or a sensitive gut, some probiotics can initially cause gas and bloating. It is therefore a good idea to check with your doctor as to which probiotic is suitable for you and what dose is required.
Probiotics is a growing area of research for IBS, and based on current research there is a reasonable amount of data to suggest they may be a useful tool to incorporate into your management plan. As with all therapies for IBS, it’s unlikely to be curative, but it may help to alleviate symptoms.
5. Pelvic Floor Therapy and Physiotherapy for Chronic Constipation
You probably aren’t aware, but lots of people with IBS-C have pelvic floor dysfunction. So, what does that even mean? Well, the muscles that help your bowel motion can become hypertonic (tight) or have poor coordination which can mean that no matter what you try with diet changes or medication, your constipation won’t change. Here, physiotherapy can help.
Biofeedback therapy is one of the methods used in pelvic floor rehabilitation. It helps the patient improve their ability to control the muscles involved in defecation. The therapy has given excellent results in chronic constipation when conventional management modalities have failed to give any relief.
Physiotherapy can also help to improve abdominal muscle tone and posture which can influence bowel motility. If you’ve tried other treatments for IBS constipation and have chronic symptoms, it may be worth talking to your doctor about having a pelvic floor assessment.
How Do Doctors Diagnose IBS-C Before Starting Treatment?
You can’t just assume you have IBS-C and start treating yourself. The diagnosis must be verified. You might otherwise be worried about another condition that has similar symptoms. In reality, there is a direct connection between a diagnosis and correct treatment.
Rome IV Diagnostic Criteria
This diagnosis requires confirming abdominal pain that occurs at least 1 day per week for 3 months and is associated with change in stool frequency or stool consistency with defecation. IBS-C is confirmed when the predominant stool type is hard or lumpy.
Ruling Out Other Conditions
Is IBS dangerous? Not by itself, no. However, sometimes the symptoms of IBS-C can overlap with other conditions that will require a different kind of treatment approach.
For example, if you have changed bowel habits and abdominal pain, it could be colon cancer as well. Moreover, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and needs to be treated differently than IBS.
Thyroid problems like hypothyroidism can cause constipation and should also be ruled out before diagnosing IBS-C.
Tests Doctors May Recommend
- Blood tests: Check thyroid function, inflammatory markers, and celiac antibodies
- Stool tests: Rule out infection, parasites, or microscopic inflammation
- Colonoscopy (in select patients): Colonoscopy would be recommended if there are any red flags identified or if the patient is over 50 years of age.
You can’t afford to waste time on an incorrect diagnosis and you want to make sure that nothing serious has been overlooked.
Warning Signs to See a Gastroenterologist for IBS-C
Some symptoms just aren’t something to be ignored. While IBS-C is a condition that can be managed and isn’t serious, there are a number of key signs and symptoms to be aware of when considering seeking further evaluation from your doctor.
For instance, if the pain keeps returning with greater intensity, that is a signal to see a stomach specialist right away. Although it is possible to manage some of your symptoms at home, there are always limitations and a professional evaluation is required in some cases. At Big Apollo Spectra Hospital, a comprehensive treatment plan will be designed for each patient based on all aspects of their symptoms, test results, and their lifestyle.
Warning Signs That Need Prompt Attention:
- Blood in stool
- Unexplained weight loss
- Severe persistent constipation that does not respond to any treatment
- New or worsening symptoms after age 50
Early referral to the specialist is essential to confirm an accurate diagnosis and to begin appropriate treatment. Do not allow the condition to become more difficult to manage before seeking a professional opinion.
Get IBS-C Relief at the Best Hospital in Patna
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all medication or treatment that works for everyone with IBS-C. It just means IBS-C is a very individualistic condition. To get the best results, we usually have to work from a variety of angles using diet, lifestyle, pharmacotherapy, and even mind body therapies and pelvic floor rehabilitation.
Early consultation is necessary for addressing all the IBS-C complaints. Early diagnosis and planning ensures better treatment and faster recovery. Not to mention, it also helps in the early start of treatment which is tailored according to the body and lifestyle of the individual.
If you are in Patna, Big Apollo Spectra Hospital will be able to provide you the best gastroenterology services with a patient centric approach. The best laxative for IBS constipation, the right probiotic, the most effective medication for your type of symptoms will all be decided by the specialist after examination. So, you don’t have to do this alone. Help is available, and it starts with one appointment.
