Irritable Bowel Syndrome Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Irritable Bowel Syndrome, including details on treatment, symptoms, digestion, nutrition, diet, drugs.

Psychiatric and psychological dysfunction in irritable bowel syndrome and the role of psychological treatments.

Palsson OS, Drossman DA

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 7080, Bioinformatics Building, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7080, USA. opalsson@med.unc.edu

Psychosocial variables play a substantial role in the IBS condition of many patients. Evaluating and addressing adverse psychosocial factors is important to achieve satisfactory clinical outcomes with those patients. This can be achieved efficiently through psychosocial interviewing, establishing a solid therapeutic relationship, and judicious and tactful application of psychotropic medications and psychological treatments. Success in address-ing psychosocial factors in clinical encounters benefits not only patients, but also the gastroenterologist through increased work satisfaction because of reduced difficulty and frustration in working with IBS patients.

Published 2 May 2005 in Gastroenterol Clin North Am, 34(2): 281-303.
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