Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 27, 2025
The Trier Social Stress Test Protocol for Inducing Psychological Stress
Published on: October 19, 2011
A Randomized Trial Comparing Standard Treatment and Stress-Relieving Therapies to Improve Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Lori Lancsek1, Steven Faber, Carolyn Rutledge
1Outer Banks Family Medicine, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (Dr Lancsek); Albemarle Gastroenterology Associates, Elizabeth City, North Carolina (Dr Faber); School of Professional Nursing, Old Dominion University, Virginia Beach, Virginia (Dr Rutledge); Sentara Healthcare, Norfolk, Virginia (Drs Maduro and Zimbro); and Sentara Obici Hospital, Suffolk, Virginia (Dr Morgan).
Background:
Abdominal pain is stressful, accounting for a large proportion of emergency and primary care visits. Clinical workups for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are often without abnormal findings and symptoms can be severe, diminishing patients' IBS-related quality of life (IBS-QOL).
Purpose:
The efficacy of stress-relieving therapies to manage IBS symptoms was explored.
Methods:
Participants were randomly assigned to standard care or an intervention group (ie, walking, music, and essential oils). The IBS-QOL, gastrointestinal (GI) distress, and general health questionnaires were completed at baseline and 6-week visits.
Results:
The intervention explained 20% of the variance for IBS-QOL, 19% for GI distress, and 27% for general health, after controlling for baseline scores. IBS-QOL and general health were improved, with GI distress minimized for the walking and essential oils groups.
Conclusions:
Adding walking and essential oils to an established IBS treatment regimen can positively impact health and well-being.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Irritable Bowel Syndrome III: Medical and Nursing Management
01:17Drugs for Treatment of Diarrhea-Predominant IBS
Two specific drugs used in the treatment are alosetron (Lotronex) and eluxadoline (Viberzi). Alosetron, a 5-HT3 antagonist, works by slowing the movement of stools in the gut, reducing bowel...
01:30Irritable Bowel Syndrome II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Evaluation
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is classified into subtypes based on the predominant bowel habits as determined by the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS). The subtypes are:
01:21Drugs for Treatment of Constipation-Predominant IBS
01:17Irritable Bowel Syndrome I: Introduction
IBS is a chronic condition that can persist over a long period or recur frequently.
The pathogenesis of IBS involves a complex interplay of the following factors:
Altered...
01:30Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the...