When your digestion is affected by a diverse group of health issues, it is often diagnosed as Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS. IBS causes a wide variety of symptoms affecting your stomach and intestines and can be very painful, distressing and hard to manage.
The exact cause of IBS is not known, but if you suffer symptoms, you will probably know your own triggers – certain foods, or high levels of stress or anxiety. The results of these triggers can be cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and/or constipation.
Homeopathic treatment for IBS will involve a very individualised approach to the situation. Your homeopath will ask what kind of physical symptoms you experience, looking at bloating, pain, nausea, constipation, diarrhoea and so on. However, there will also be a discussion regarding the role that stress or other emotional factors may play in the situation. The prescription you are given will reflect both aspects, as it is only by addressing all contributing factors that lasting cure can be achieved.
Below I will describe some of the most commonly prescribed remedies for IBS.
Nux Vomica
In the person whose IBS would benefit from the remedy Nux Vomica, there is probably a picture of overdoing things – overdoing work or sport, overdoing coffee, overdoing alcohol, overdoing late nights, and this tendency to overdo things may well be the history behind the development of IBS. There will be a strong tendency to constipation, with a great deal of straining, though passing only small amounts. This constipation may alternate with diarrhoea, and there may be painful abdominal cramps and the desire to pass wind, but this too can be difficult. Alongside all these symptoms, there will be irritability and frustration with the situation, and the logical question to ponder here might be which is more irritable – you or your bowel?
Arsenicum Album
This remedy can be of huge help if the IBS picture is one of burning pains in terms of heartburn and nausea or burning diarrhoea. This remedy suits people who are chilly despite these burning pains and will want to get warm.
The emotional picture here is one of restless anxiety and a need to have everything in its right place. Arsenicum people, do not tend to suffer in silence, instead they may tend to catastrophise their illness and want an attentive someone close by to tell them that everything is going to be ok.
I will detail some other remedies that can be very effective in IBS next week but please feel free to get in touch for more information.