It can be. Does the spasm occur when you are going for a poo? If so, it could be caused by a small tear (anal fissure). Another possibility is something that goes by the name of 'proctalgia fugax' (which comes from the Greek for 'a fleeting pain in the back passage' - honestly!). Proctalgia fugax is...

Hi Keri Julie is absolutely correct about the NICE guidelines. There doesn't seem to be much good scientific evidence to support the use of aloe vera - although anecdotally I have several patients who swear by it! Peppermint oil capsules (e.g. Mintec or Colpermin) can be very effective for bloating ...

It might be worth asking your GP to refer you to a dietician to see if anything can be done to improve your diet and your IBS symptoms. I wonder if the amitryptiline could also be worsening your constipation - perhaps it might be worth having a chat with your GP about this?

Good luck

Neil Galletly

If the pattern of your bleeding has been unchanged for many years then in all likelihood it is due to your haemorrhoids. However the danger is that bleeding - and loose unformed stool - are also potential signs of bowel cancer (which starts to get more common when we reach our 60s), so it is really ...

IBS can sometimes be linked to anxiety. We think a lot of the problems in IBS are related to over-active and over-sensitive nerve endings in the bowel - and these nerve endings are all connected to nerve endings in the brain. So when the ones in our brain start firing off more due to anxiety it can ...

No, not at all. IBS can cause miserable symptoms but it has no impact at all on your likelihood of getting cancer or dying younger

Neil Galletly

Hi Carol Haemorrhoids are probably the commonest cause of bleeding - the blood is usually bright red and mainly on the paper rather than in the poo. Bleeding from a fissure normally causes quite a lot of pain when going for a poo. If his bleeding is unchanged for 30 years or more then the good news ...

Hi there Bloating is a really common symptom - but can be frustratingly difficult to treat. I assume the bloating has been there ever since you have been diagnosed with IBS - but if it is a new or recent symptom you may want to see your GP for a few tests first. I would recommend seeing a dietician ...

Hi Frances It is slightly unusual to develop IBS in your 60s - it can occur but it is important that your doctors are certain this is the correct diagnosis and have ruled out other possible causes for your symptoms. Perhaps you could ask if they have ruled out 'bile acid malabsorption' and 'microsco...

It sounds as if you are very knowledgeable about dietary and lifestyle treatments for constipation and it sounds as if you have tried most of these already. Constipation can often be a side-effect of various medicines but it sounds as if you have already looked into this. From a medicine point of vi...