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Complementary and Alternative Management Strategies in Irritable Bowel Syndrome

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Functional and Motility Disorders of the Gastrointestinal Tract

Abstract

Due to the limited number of conventional treatments available for functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies in this population is common. Studies of CAM use for FGIDs have focused primarily on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional dyspepsia (FD), while there are limited data on their use in other functional disorders. CAM is frequently used together with conventional medicine and more often in patients who have chronic conditions that are particularly difficult to treat. In the treatment of IBS, commonly used CAM therapies include probiotics, prebiotics, acupuncture, cognitive-behavioral therapy, hypnotherapy, and herbal products such as peppermint oil.

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Key References

  1. Hungin AP, Mulligan C, Pot B, Whorwell P, Agréus L, Fracasso P, et al. Systematic review: probiotics in the management of lower gastrointestinal symptoms in clinical practice - an evidence-based international guide. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2013;38:784–93. This recent review synthesizes the general outcomes of studies with probiotics and IBS, providing a reference guide for clinicians.

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  2. Kligler B, Chaudhary S. Peppermint oil. Am Fam Physician. 2007;75:1027–30. This paper discusses recent evidence for the use of peppermint oil in IBS and functional dyspepsia.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA

    Andrea Bollom B.S. & Anthony Lembo M.D.

Authors
  1. Andrea Bollom B.S.
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  2. Anthony Lembo M.D.
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Andrea Bollom B.S. or Anthony Lembo M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA

    Brian E. Lacy

  2. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA

    Michael D. Crowell

  3. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA

    John K. DiBaise

Teaching Questions

Teaching Questions

  1. 1.

    Which one of the probiotic agents below has been studied in a dose-ranging, multicenter trial in patients with IBS?

    1. (A)

      Bifidobacterium infantis

    2. (B)

      Bifidobacterium animalis

    3. (C)

      Streptococcus thermophilus

    4. (D)

      Lactobacillus bulgaricus

  2. 2.

    Recent evidence supports the use of an Internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy program for IBS.

    1. (A)

      True

    2. (B)

      False

  3. 3.

    Which one of the following CAM therapies has been shown in a meta-analysis to reduce abdominal spasms through inhibition of calcium influx?

    1. (A)

      Hypnotherapy

    2. (B)

      Acupuncture

    3. (C)

      Peppermint oil

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© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Bollom, A., Lembo, A. (2015). Complementary and Alternative Management Strategies in Irritable Bowel Syndrome. In: Lacy, B., Crowell, M., DiBaise, J. (eds) Functional and Motility Disorders of the Gastrointestinal Tract. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1498-2_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1498-2_21

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-1497-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-1498-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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