Intrarectal Lidocaine Is an Effective Treatment for Abdominal Pain Associated With Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The possible presence of abnormal sodium channels in the rectal and or colonic visceral afferents of patients with IBS might serve as a clue as to the effectiveness of rectal lidocaine. The dose of lidocaine used in this study may be of sufficient strength to normalize aberrant sodium channels that may be present in the colon of patients with IBS without affecting normal sodium channels of either IBS or control subjects.