Is there any successful treatment for irritable bowel syndrome

asks H Gray:
A. Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, is the most common digestive disorder in the UK today. It affects one in five people, and twice as many women as men seek medical help for it. IBS covers a range of symptoms which affect the intestines: bloating, stomach pain,� wind and alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhoea, and sufferers never feel that their bowel is completely empty. Although it's a distressing condition, it rarely leads to complications.

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Q. What causes it
A. Some experts believe it could be a virus or bacterium, but no-one knows for sure. What is known is that it's triggered by certain foods and stress makes it worse.

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Q. Which foods
A. A study of 2,000 IBS sufferers found that most sufferers had problems after spicy and fatty foods. Other common offenders were tomato skins, sweetcorn, fatty meats, citrus fruits, beans and lentils, onions, leeks, coffee and alcohol.

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Q. What should you do if you think you've got it
A. See your GP first to rule out other, more serious conditions. The usual treatment is a high-fibre diet together with medication to reduce spasm in the lining of the gut. However, wheat is a common food allergen and a diet high in bran can sometimes make symptoms worse. And medication is very rarely a long-term solution.

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Q. Anything else I can try
A. Yes, the suggestions below have all been successful to some extent: it's a case of seeing what works for you:

• Keep a diary of everything you eat and drink, as well as your symptoms, for a couple of weeks to find out what makes it worse (remember it can take 48 hours for your gut to react).
• If you think that wheat makes your symptoms worse, increase your fibre intake from other sources: vegetables, fruits, oat bran, guar, legumes (peas and beans).
• Peppermint oil is antiflatulent and antispasmodic and can be effective: take enteric-coated capsules which won't be absorbed in the stomach and will reach the colon.
• Probiotics, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, have been shown to help.
• A recent study of IBS patients found that a standardised extract of globe artichoke helped many sufferers - you'll find it in health food shops.
• Ginger, another popular herbal remedy, calms the digestive system and relieves flatulence.
• Chamomile, valerian, rosemary, peppermint and lemon balm are all herbs which can be taken as teas.
• Finally, learn to relax. IBS sufferers have been shown to have higher than normal levels of anxiety. Try breathing or other stress management exercises, such as yoga. Physical exercise, too, reduces stress. Massage and reflexology are relaxing and can improve digestion, too.

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By Sheena Miller