The Effects of Relaxation with Drug Therapy on the Quality of Life and Symptoms of IBS

Abstract

Background: Pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy were previously used to increase the quality of life and decrease the severity and frequency of symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The aim of this study was to compare the effect of using relaxation in addition to pharmacotherapy to reduce the severity and frequency of symptoms and to increase the quality of life in IBS patients with diarrhea (IBS-D).

Materials and Methods: This study was a randomized clinical trial. We had 64 IBS-D patients who were selected according to the ROME III criteria and were divided into two groups, randomly. In one group, they only took citalopram and other routine medicines (group A) and in the other group, along with medicines, relaxation therapy was used (group B).

Results: Therewas a significant difference in quality of life (QOL) between the two groups in both post-treatment and follow-up stages (p‹0.05) and there was a significant difference in post-treatment stage between groupAand group B in severity and frequency of symptoms (p‹0.05) but not in follow up stage (p›0.05).

Conclusion: Adding relaxation therapy to routine drugs in IBS-D patients could improve their quality of life and decrease the severity and frequency of symptoms although cessation of this new treatment may lead to relapse of symptoms.