Irritable bowel syndrome: treatment options

SUMMARY Irritable bowel syndrome is a common gastrointestinal disorder that considerably reduces the patient’s quality of life and represents an economic burden to society due to the high consumption of healthcare resources and the nonproductivity of irritable bowel syndrome patients. The options for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome are nonpharmacological and pharmacological. The nonpharmacological approach includes: information and reassurance, dietary guidance, regular exercise, probiotic intake, hypnotherapy and cognitive therapy, psychodynamic interpersonal therapies and relaxation training. There is still some uncertainty regarding the role of cognitive behavior, psychodynamic interpersonal therapies and relaxation training in managing irritable bowel syndrome. This is due to significant challenges in terms of study design, patient selection and the interpretation of results. Pharmacological treatment mainly includes laxatives, antidiarrheal drugs, antispasmodic drugs, antidepressants and an...