July 2015

for health professionals

Complementary Health Approaches for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)—a chronic disorder that interferes with the normal functions of the colon—is challenging to study because of its varied, non-specific symptoms, episodic nature and the lack of confirmatory diagnostic testing. Although there is emerging evidence suggesting that some complementary health practices may be used for treating IBS, most of the studies have methodological flaws. Systematic reviews evaluating complementary modalities for IBS symptoms have concluded that few large, well-designed studies exist and further research is required to determine whether complementary or integrative health practices are effective for treating IBS.

This issue summarizes the research on commonly used complementary and integrative health approaches for managing symptoms of IBS.

Read more »

What the Science Says:
Complementary Health Approaches for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Learn what current research has to say about:

 Probiotics

 Hypnotherapy

 Peppermint Oil

 Herbal Remedies

 Acupuncture

 Homeopathy

Read more »

Additional Resources

 Clinical Practice Guidelines

 Scientific Literature

 Research Spotlights

 For Your Patients

 6 Tips: IBS and Complementary Health Practices

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NCCIH Clinical Digest is a service of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NCCIH Clinical Digest, a monthly e-newsletter, offers evidence-based information on CAM, including scientific literature searches, summaries of NCCIH-funded research, fact sheets for patients, and more.

NCCIH is 1 of 27 institutes and centers at the NIH. The mission of NCCIH is to define, through rigorous scientific investigation, the usefulness and safety of complementary and alternative medicine interventions and their roles in improving health and health care. For additional information, call NCCIH's Clearinghouse toll free at 1-888-644-6226, or visit the NCCIH Web site at nccih.nih.gov.