About 15% of people in the United States are affected by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Its hallmark symptoms include stomach pain, cramping, gas and bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and a generalized feeling that something is off. You might also have mucus in your feces.
Visit Leslie F. Seecoomar, MD, at his private practice in Manhattan’s Upper West Side in New York City for a gastroenterology consultation and personalized IBS treatment plan.
While its cause isn’t clear, IBS risk factors include:
Women may be twice as likely to have IBS as men. It’s often diagnosed in people from their late teens to the early 40s.
Consider the following tips to relieve IBS symptoms and maximize your quality of life:
Dietary changes are often the first step toward reducing IBS symptoms. Eliminating gluten or following a low FODMAP diet can be helpful.
FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharide, disaccharide, monosaccharide and polyol, and it encompasses carbohydrates that are harder to digest. Some of the carbs in this category include fructose, lactose, and sugar alcohols. FODMAPs are present in some grains, fruits, vegetables, and dairy foods.
If you’re sensitive to these or other specific foods, Dr. Seecoomar helps you find ways to safely eliminate triggers from your diet. He might suggest reducing or avoiding dairy foods, beans, cabbage, brussels sprouts, carbonated drinks, or other foods and drinks that cause gas.
Experiment with fiber-rich foods as directed and drink plenty of water: at least eight glasses daily.
Studies show that aerobic exercise, such as swimming, running, and cycling, enhances the composition and diversity of beneficial gut bacteria, easing IBS symptoms like bloating and abdominal pain, reducing stress, and boosting mood to further improve the gut-brain axis. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days.
Stress is a known trigger for worsening IBS symptoms. Consider holistic stress-reducing strategies, such as yoga, tai chi, acupuncture, spending time outdoors, meditation, massage, or brisk walking. It’s also important to get enough sleep; aim for at least seven hours each night.
Ease up on an overly busy schedule and take mental rest days off whenever needed. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other forms of psychotherapy can help, too.
Dr. Seecoomar works with you to determine which dietary supplements may work best within your IBS treatment plan. Examples include fiber supplements like Metamucil® or Citrucel®, probiotics supplements, peppermint, oil, and multivitamins.
If lifestyle changes alone haven’t eased bothersome symptoms, Dr. Seecoomar offers prescription medications that eliminate stubborn unpleasant IBS symptoms for the long term. However, he takes a holistic approach over medication management whenever possible.
Dr. Seecoomar discusses your medical history, lifestyle, current diet, symptoms, medications, and more to determine how to best assist you. He may recommend blood or stool tests, breath testing, an endoscopy or colonoscopy, imaging procedures, or other diagnostic tests to customize the most effective treatment plan.
Are you ready to eliminate gas, bloating, diarrhea, and other IBS symptoms once and for all? Call Leslie F. Seecoomar, MD, PC, at 212-217-9961 or request an appointment online today.
