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Natural Remedies For Irritable Bowel Victims

Posting Date: 11/28/2005

Q. Are there any natural treatments for IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)? I think they should call it cranky colon or irritable intestine or something alliterative, but I?ve had it for several years and there is little to be done for it. I have occasionally had painful rectal spasms so intense I pass out.

Doctors don?t have anything to offer, and I am tired of this socially unacceptable ailment. Do you know of anything I could try?

A. Research suggests that peppermint can ease spasms in smooth muscle, especially the digestive tract. Enteric-coated peppermint oil has been helpful for people with IBS in some trials, and it might be worth a try. One product, Pepogest, is distributed by Nature's Way (800) 9-NATURE.

Another option might be beneficial bacteria called probiotics. We heard from a reader who reported that probiotics helped his IBS: ?While I'm not cured, the symptoms are now much easier to handle.?

A new study showed that a probiotic product containing Bifidobacterium infantis was significantly better than placebo for symptoms of constipation and diarrhea associated with IBS. A Procter and Gamble product called Bifantis was used in the research.

Q. I have been battling nail fungus for many years. A few years ago a podiatrist removed my big toenail surgically, which was not a pleasant experience. Now the fungus is back on that nail and several others.

I cannot afford the prescription drug my doctor suggested and I do not want to go through another surgical nail removal. What other options are there?

A. Some nails can become so thick with fungus that surgical removal seems like the only solution. This can sometimes be painful and may pose a risk of infection.

An alternate approach is to dissolve away the infected nail with a concentrated urea paste. This requires a prescription for 40 percent urea (Ureacin-40, Carmol 40 or Gordon?s Urea 40%). It also calls for medical supervision.