There are symptom-based medications like antidiarrheals and over-the-counter constipation medications that can help. There are also specific medications for constipation predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C) that can help you have a bowel movement and target the underlying causes of why people get pain, bloating, and cramping. Antibiotics like Rifaximin have been shown to be very helpful in a large subset of patients with IBS who have SIBO (overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine.) The last category of medications are antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications in the subset of patients who tend to have a stress and anxiety driven nature to their symptoms.

Is there a cure for IBS?

What is the treatment for IBS?