Review
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2015. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 28, 2015; 21(40): 11439-11449
Published online Oct 28, 2015. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i40.11439
Aspects of the non-pharmacological treatment of irritable bowel syndrome
Elsa Maria Eriksson, Kristina Ingrid Andrén, Göran Karl Kurlberg, Henry Ture Eriksson
Elsa Maria Eriksson, Kristina Ingrid Andrén, Göran Karl Kurlberg, Henry Ture Eriksson, Department of Functional Gastroenterology, Pavilion 2, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Östra, SE-416 78 Göteborg, Sweden
Author contributions: Eriksson EM performed the research and wrote the paper; Andrén KI performed the research, wrote some parts and revised the paper; Kurlberg GK wrote some parts and revised the paper; Eriksson HT wrote some parts, revised the paper and made a substantial contribution to the economic portion of the IBS research.
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Received: January 30, 2015
Peer-review started: February 2, 2015
First decision: June 2, 2015
Revised: June 26, 2015
Accepted: August 28, 2015
Article in press: August 31, 2015
Published online: October 28, 2015
Core Tip

Core tip: Due to the complex nature of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), no long-lasting generally accepted therapies are available. Different lines of research have been developed to address this issue. One line focuses on identifying intestinal mechanisms that may be affected by pharmacologic intervention. The understanding of IBS, especially the interactions between the central and enteric nervous systems, has grown considerably in recent years. Because recent research has focused more on the body-mind aspect of the disease, body-mind remedies such as hypnotherapy, psychotherapy and body awareness therapy have been applied. In highlighting this topic we discuss non-pharmacological methods and practical guidelines for the treatment of IBS.