Brief Answer:
Dietary measures form the mainstay of treatment

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder characterized by abdominal pain and altered bowel habit in the absence of a specific and unique organic pathology.
Management of irritable bowel syndrome consists primarily of providing psychological support and recommending dietary measures.
Dietary measures may include the following:
1)Fiber supplementation may improve the symptoms of constipation and diarrhea
2)Polycarbophil compounds (eg, Citrucel, FiberCon) may produce less flatulence than psyllium compounds (eg, Metamucil)
3)Judicious water intake is recommended in patients who predominantly experience constipation
4)Caffeine avoidance may limit anxiety and symptom exacerbation
5)Legume avoidance may decrease abdominal bloating
6)Lactose, fructose, and/or FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) should be limited or avoided in patients with these contributing disorders
7)Probiotics may be helpful in decreasing the symptoms of IBS.
8)Psychological interventions, cognitive-behavioral therapy, dynamic psychotherapy, and hypnotherapy are more effective.
9)drugs are used only to treat the symptoms of IBS and they are as following :
Anticholinergics/antispasmodics (eg, dicyclomine, hyoscyamine, trimebutine, peppermint oil) [4]
Antidiarrheals (eg, diphenoxylate, loperamide)
Tricyclic antidepressants (eg, imipramine, amitriptyline)
Prokinetic agents
Bulk-forming laxatives
Serotonin receptor antagonists (eg, alosetron, tegaserod)
Altering bacterial flora and gas formation (eg, rifaximin).
Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic relapsing disorder characterized by recurrent symptoms of variable severity.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) does not increase mortality, or the risk of inflammatory bowel disease or cancer.

Hope I have answered your question. Please let me know if you need any further assistance. Thank you. Take care.
Thanks.

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Brief Answer:
Medication is to be continued for a long time.

Detailed Answer:
Hello sir, thank you for choosing healthcare magic. The medications for IBS are to be used on a long term basis. IBS has periods of increased symptoms and at times it is without symptoms. You need to use medication atleast for 3 months before you stop. Then you can see symptom less period.
Hope i have answered your question. Please let me know if you need any further assistance. Thank you. Take care.

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