Conventional Medicine Takes a Fresh View of IBS

Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in the U.S believe they have identified the causes of IBS and are working on a new conventional approach to treatment.

The study found that the majority of IBS sufferers were found to have excessive bacteria levels in the small intestine (78% of 202 patients studied), which agrees with current alternative approaches to treating IBS.

IBS and other conditions can be caused where food is not processed through the digestive system, due to poor eating habits, food intolerances and other complications. The food is left to rot in the small intestine giving raise to a range of complaints.

The researchers have had some success by using antibiotics to kill off excess bacteria in the small intestine. Principal investigator Dr Mark Pimentel claimed "on the whole, we found a significant reduction in the symptoms of IBS".

Unfortunately, the treatment programme may not be successful in the long-run. Researchers believe that after prolonged treatment, patients may develop resistance to antibiotics, neutralising the effectiveness of the programme and potentially leading to other more serious complications. The investigators now aim to experiment with alternative non-antibiotic therapies which use the same principles.

In complementary healthcare, herbal medicine, homeopathy, nutritional advice and reflexology may all be successful in treating the condition.

For more information on health screening for food intolerances, contact Bromley Health Management.

Tuesday, 30 January 2001