Synopses & Reviews
One in five adult Americans suffers from Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Millions seek relief through dietary changes or medications that often prove unsatisfactory and may be accompanied by side effects. It turns out that relief doesn't necessarily come from a bottle of pills or through diet changes—it can be achieved by learning behavioral self-management strategies that get to the source of the problem.
For over 10 years, Dr. Jeffrey M. Lackner has been helping patients gain control of their symptoms. His research—backed by grants from the National Institutes of Health—shows that these skills can help, whether their IBS involves diarrhea, constipation, or both.
Now Dr. Lackner's Controlling IBS the Drug-Free Way offers IBS sufferers the same tools that have helped many patients control their bowel problems. Research shows that the techniques featured in this book can improve IBS patients' condition and help them reclaim lives lost to this common gastrointestinal problem. The book offers a step-by-step approach that anyone with IBS can easily follow to reduce symptoms without drugs or professional help. User-friendly worksheets, interactive exercises, self-assessment checklists, and diaries for tracking symptoms and trigger foods are included to help readers master each skill. Also included are up-to-date overviews of medications and dietary strategies that readers can use to maximize symptom control.
Synopsis
By some estimates, as many as one in five adult Americans suffers from Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Each year, millions of people seeking a cure for IBS' debilitating symptoms consult their physicians—and are usually prescribed medications with dangerous, often counterproductive side effects. It turns out they're looking for relief from the wrong kind of doctor.
For nearly two decades, cognitive therapist Jeffrey M. Lackner has been counseling patients trying to cope with the discomfort and stress of IBS. Dr. Lackner's research—backed by a grant from the National Institutes of Health—has convincingly demonstrated that men and women can quickly learn techniques for greatly reducing the frequency and severity of IBS-related pain, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation. The well-documented success rate of Dr. Lackner's drug-free treatment has exceeded even his own most optimistic projections.
Now, Dr. Lackner's Controlling IBS the Drug-Free Way offers all IBS sufferers the same guidance that has helped so many of his patients to lessen or completely eliminate their symptoms. Recent clinical trials prove that this self-study program can, within weeks, dramatically improve IBS patients' condition. Emphasizing the power of the mind to quell IBS, the book outlines a step-by-step method that anyone with IBS can easily follow.
About the Author
JEFFREY M. LACKNER, Psy.D, is Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (SUNY) and director of the Behavioral Medicine Clinic, a nationally known clinical research facility devoted to better understanding and treating IBS. Dr. Lackner has been conducting IBS research for the past 10 years and has published extensively and lectured internationally on the topic. He lives in Buffalo, New York.