Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/RQhzQKE1s0M Inflammatory bowel disease is best treated by simultaneously applying therapies that focus both on the gut and the brain.  A study from Sweden’s University of Gothenberg just published in journal Gastroenterology emphasizes the need a comprehensive, holistic approach to the disease. The researchers studied 400 patients with IBD and matched controls using quantitative measures of intestinal sensitivity and motility as well as a questionnaire to explore the subjects neurological and psychological issues.  Their studies were particularly focused on the so call gut-brain axis which is the link between these components of IBD. The study concludes that the most severe forms of IBD were accompanied by multiple problems in the gastrointestinal tract and in the psyche.  Effective treatment was only possible when each component of the disease was recognized and managed holistically with not only pharmaceuticals such as anti-depressants but also cognitive behavioral therapy and hyp