Spastic Colon Remedies

Spastic colon, which is another term for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), is characterized by abdominal bloating and cramping. Even though, there is no permanent cure for this disorder, it does not usually cause any permanent damage to the colon. The symptoms can be quite annoying and uncomfortable, but can be easily controlled by some dietary and lifestyle changes, with or without medicines. Most of the spastic colon patients find improvement in the symptoms with these simple remedial measures and healthy lifestyle changes. The exact cause for this condition is still not known, but, it can be due to abnormal muscle contractions of the intestinal tract. This muscle contractions can be either due to an abnormality in the brain (which signals for muscle contraction) or in the colon. Most of the affected people may experience either diarrhea or constipation predominantly, while in some patients, both conditions may alternate due to the spastic action of the colon. Spastic colon causes include trigger factors like certain foods, stress, other illnesses like gastrointestinal infections.

Medical Treatment

As mentioned earlier, there is no cure for this medical condition. The conventional treatment is aimed at providing relief from the symptoms. It includes, medicines to control diarrhea/constipation, antidepressants, anticholinergic medicines (to control activities of the autonomic nervous system, to get relief from bowel spasms), antibiotics (for patients with overgrowth of bacteria in the intestine) and fiber supplements (for those with constipation). Spastic colon patients must avoid foods that cause bloating problems like carbonated beverages, salads, raw fruits and vegetables, especially cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. Counseling is also offered to such patients, as psychological factors can trigger the symptoms. There are some medicines, which are specifically made for people affected by spastic colon, but, its efficacy is still not proven. Apart from medicines, lifestyle and dietary factors are also important, as far as treatment is concerned. People affected by this condition must drink plenty of water and avoid certain foods, that can trigger the symptoms. They should exercise regularly and eat at regular intervals. Avoid stress, as it is one of the common trigger factor for the symptoms.

Home Remedies

As there is no cure for this condition, the only way out is to control the symptoms. It can be done by the above said measures, along with some spastic colon remedies. Most of these remedies are found to be effective.

• Studies show that incorporation of probiotics in a spastic colon diet may be beneficial to some extent. Probiotics is the beneficial bacteria found in the intestine. It has been suggested that people with spastic colon lack such beneficial bacteria in their intestines, and intake of probiotics, either through supplements or foods like yogurt, will be beneficial for them.
• Another popular remedy is peppermint oil. One of the peppermint oil benefits include the fact that it is a great muscle relaxant, and hence, is used in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. However, make sure that the peppermint oil capsules that you consume are enteric coated, so don't chew or break the coating of the capsules. This remedy is not recommended for patients with heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease, so it is always better to consult your doctor before starting any herbal medicines.
• There are many other herbal remedies like, psyllium, chamomile, valerian tea, dandelion and ginger. While psyllium is to be ingested with water, others can be added to tea. As the efficacy of these herbal medicines as a spastic colon remedy is still not proven, you may resort to this treatment only after consulting your doctor.
• Yoga and acupuncture are also gaining momentum as remedies for spastic colon. It has been observed that both these wings of alternative medicine are effective in controlling the symptoms, to some extent.

These are some of the spastic colon remedies that can help you in controlling the symptoms associated with the condition. All you have to do is avoid the trigger factors and resort to remedial measures, so as to prevent the symptoms of spastic colon.