According to a new review from Wiley, some alternative therapies can aid in the treatment of bowel disorders.
The review’s authors suggest that while most available studies are biased by several shortcomings, probiotics, synbiotics, psyllium, peppermint oil and some herbal medicinal products can help with IBS. Additionally, they found that synbiotics and fiber may be beneficial for functional constipation, while a non-pathogenic strain of Escherichia coli may assist with ulcerative colitis.
“Patients with common functional bowel disorders such as chronic idiopathic constipation and irritable bowel syndrome who cannot find benefit or have adverse effects with the use of traditional drug therapies, or do not want to use them, should be told that alternative medicines are available that may be effective,” says Dr. Diego Curro, lead author of the British Journal of Pharmacology study. “Also, patients with mild clinical forms of ulcerative colitis should be informed that they might use, with caution, an alternative probiotic treatment to prevent relapse.”
If your patients or clients are struggling with bowel disorders, consider offering them these forms of treatment.
