From stomach cramps and bloating to diarrhoea and constipation, IBS presents a range of symptoms that can leave you feeling uncomfortable. As an IBS sufferer, you may find that your symptoms change dramatically from one day to the next. Here are some ways to manage the commonest ones.

Stomach Cramps

If you regularly experience stomach cramps, try keeping a food diary. After a while, you may notice a pattern of when certain foods cause your cramps. If you do, eliminating those foods can work wonders. You may also want to try soothing teas, such as peppermint tea. Some people also find that probiotics work, so try adding one to your diet each day. For short-term relief, heat backs can relax your stomach muscles and make your cramps less painful.

Diarrhoea

Diarrhoea can sometimes arrive without warning and may leave you feeling embarrassed. However, one of the simplest IBS treatments involves making small changes to your diet that can reduce the amount of diarrhoea you experience. Try to reduce the amount of fibre you eat, as fibre softens your stools. You may also want to avoid a sweetener called sorbitol, which often appears in diet drinks without you realising. If these methods don't work, you can try an irritable bowel syndrome treatment such as loperamide to reduce the number of episodes you encounter.

Constipation

As the reverse of diarrhoea, constipation can feel frustrating. In some scenarios, you may find yourself developing secondary conditions such as haemorrhoids through straining. Softening your stools can go a long way towards easing your constipation. Try drinking more water so that it's absorbed through your gut wall and into your stools. You may also want to boost your fibre intake. You can either do this by eating more vegetables or taking a supplement. In some cases, your doctor may recommend using a laxative.

Bloating

Bloating often goes hand in hand with symptoms such as farting and belching. Look at whether you're eating foods that are hard to digest, such as broccoli, cabbage, or dried fruit. You may also want to eat porridge oats each day, as they can lessen the severity of bloating. Try to avoid drinking anything that makes bloat worse too, such as fizzy drinks and excessive volumes of alcohol. As with symptoms such as cramping, peppermint tea can prove useful for combatting bloating. By drinking it after your main meals, you may prevent some of the bloating from occurring. 

For more information on IBS treatment, contact a company near you.