• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • COVID-19 INFO
  • learn More
inSite Digestive Health Care
  • Find a
    location
  • Patient
    Portal
  • Telehealth
  • online
    Bill Pay
  • Appointment
  • Home
  • About
    • Careers
    • Clinical Research
  • Providers
  • Locations
  • For Patients
    • New Patients
    • Prep Instructions
    • Telehealth
    • Patient Education
    • COVID-19 Precautions
    • Insurances Accepted
    • FAQs
    • Policies
  • Conditions
    • Upper GI Disorders
    • Lower GI Disorders
    • Functional GI Disorders
    • Inflammatory Bowel Disease
    • Liver Disease
    • Hemorrhoids
  • Procedures
    • Colonoscopy
    • Upper GI Endoscopy
    • Esophageal Dilation
    • Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
    • Endoscopic Ultrasound
    • Capsule Endoscopy
    • Esophageal Manometry
    • Outpatient Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastronomy
    • Hemorrhoid Therapy
    • Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography (ERCP)
    • Fibroscan
    • Abdominal Pelvic Ultrasound
    • Nutritional Services
    • Telehealth Consultations
  • Shop
  • Contact Us
    • Find a
      location
    • Patient
      Portal
    • Telehealth
    • online
      Bill Pay
  •  

How to Improve Quality of Life for IBS Patients

April 4, 2019

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects more than 200,000 people in the US per year. While not life-threatening, it is a chronic disorder that often causes cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation. Anyone with the disorder knows that the symptoms can be painful, frustrating and even debilitating to everyday life. While there is no cure for the disorder, patients can take steps to minimize the effect of their symptoms and improve their quality of life. Diet, stress, activity level can influence the impact IBS symptoms have on individuals. Here, we identify and explain several adjustments patients can make to experience a better quality of life.

Taking Probiotics

The GI tract houses trillions of bacteria that aid in the regular functions of digestion. Doctors have identified only a fraction of these bacteria, but we are starting to better understand their importance. Taking a probiotic supplement can replace beneficial bacteria, make the GI tract less susceptible to infection and may strengthen the immune system.

Changing your Diet

Making small diet changes can help relieve symptoms like gas, bloating and constipation. Patients have reported improvement in their symptoms by doing things such as eliminating gluten, cutting back on processed foods, drinking more water, consuming plant-based diets and eating more fiber. Of course, overhauling your diet overnight is no small task. Start slowly, by actively drinking more water and eating more vegetables. Then, consider cutting out one type of food for a month (i.e., gluten), and see if your symptoms improve. If they do, you may consider continuing this diet. If not, spend the next month avoiding a different type of food (i.e., processed foods), and see if that elimination helps more.

Be Mindful of What You Drink

Increasing your water intake is just the start. Every drink from your morning coffee to your nightcap can influence your IBS symptoms. Coffee and caffeinated beverages can be an irritant for your colon, and those with IBS-D are encouraged to limit their coffee intake to 1-2 cups per day. Dairy products can aggravate stomach cramps and diarrhea, so eliminating milk may help patients experiencing these symptoms. Additionally, alcohol is also known to be an irritant for the GI tract. Patients may consider lowering their intake to one drink per night, especially for rum, ciders, sweet wines and mixers.

Find Ways to De-stress

Of all the things that can worsen IBS symptoms, stress is one of the biggest influencers. Stress triggers stomachaches, constipation, diarrhea, and nausea. Unlike the other triggers discussed here, stress is psychological, and occurs in different ways, at different times, and for different reasons in everyone. Naturally, everyone has different ways to deal with stress. It is important for IBS patients to find effective ways to reduce stress before it causes painful and debilitating symptoms. Patients could try meditation, exercise, walking their dog, doing a hobby they enjoy, having a spa day, watching a movie, or spending time with friends. Even something as small as reading on your lunch break can help you calm your thoughts and readjust your frame of mind. Self care is the most effective way to get ahead of your symptoms.

Filed Under: Gastroenterology Tagged With: IBS Patients, Irritable Bowel Syndrome diagnosis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome treatment

Primary Sidebar

April 2019
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930  
« Mar   May »

Categories

  • Anoscopy
  • Blood stool
  • Colon cancer
  • Colonoscopy
  • Crohn's Disease
  • Digestive Health
  • EGD Test
  • Endoscopy
  • ERCP
  • Fecal Occult Blood Test
  • FibroScan
  • Gastroenterologist
  • Gastroenterology
  • Gastroenterology Clinic
  • General
  • GI Disorders
  • H.Pylori Test
  • Hemorrhoids
  • Hepatology
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • manometry test
  • Medications
  • News
  • Nutrition
  • Pill Camera
  • Telehealth Services
  • Uncategorized
  • Weight Loss

Tags

anoscopy California anoscopy near me best gastroenterologist near me Best GI Clinic best gi clinic near me best GI doctor near me best gi specialist near me colon cancer colon cancer diagnosis colon cancer risk Colon Cancer screening Colon Cancer screening near me colonoscopy colonoscopy appointment colonoscopy California colonoscopy in California colonoscopy near me Colonoscopy Prep colonoscopy procedure Colonoscopy Procedure near me Colorectal Cancer Digestive Health digestive health care near me Endoscopy near me gastroenterologist California gastroenterologist clinic in California gastroenterologist in California gastroenterologist near me Gastroenterologists near me Gastroenterology Clinic Gastroenterology Clinic in California Gastroenterology Clinic near me gastrointestinal care GI care GI Clinic in California GI Clinic near me gi doctor in California gi doctor near me GI specialist in California GI specialist near me hemorrhoids rubber band ligation Hemorrhoid Treatment in California Hemorrhoid treatment near me inSite Digestive Health Care Irritable Bowel Syndrome treatment

Footer

Our
Blog

Keep up with the latest developments in gastroenterology as well as news about our practice and the events we sponsor.

Learn More

Patient
Education Library

Learn about the symptoms and treatments for some of the most common GI conditions and disorders we treat.

Learn More

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Find a Location
  • Online Bill Pay
  • Patient Portal
  • Telehealth
  • About
  • Our Provider
  • Conditions
  • Services & Procedures
  • For Patients
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • Patient Education
  • Locations
  • Request an Appointment
  • Contact Us

Policies

  • Terms and Conditions
  • Terms of Use
  • Notice of Privacy Practices (HIPAA)
  • Aviso de Prácticas de Privacidad
  • Non-Discrimination Policy
  • Financial Policy
  • Return Policy

Resources

  • COVID-19 Precautions
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Sitemap
Copyright © · inSite Digestive Health Care · All Rights Reserved
iHealthspot Medical Website Design and Medical Marketing by iHealthSpot.com

inSite Digestive Health Care, now Genesis Healthcare Partners, an affiliate of Unio Health Partners, offers diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal system with locations across all of California.