Irritable Bowel Syndrome - A Comprehensive Guide!

By Author: Kirthy Shetty
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If you have been having chronic abdominal pain, bloating and experiencing cramps, some degree of discomfort, or if you notice unexplained changes in your bowel habits, you might have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

IBS is a functional disorder affecting the digestive tract. In other words, your digestive system is not working as it should. Also known as spastic colitis, mucous colitis and spastic colon, IBS includes different kinds of diseases that are characterized by gastro-intestinal discomfort.

According to Dr. Jay Marks at Medicine.Net, IBS affects around 15% of all Americans. Thus, IBS is actually a common disorder. As it is, symptoms vary from person to person. Aside from the common symptoms described above, other symptoms of IBS may include

constipation, or having infrequent or difficult to pass bowel movements;
cramping, especially when suffering from constipation;
detecting the presence of mucus in the stools
diarrhea, or having frequent and sometimes uncontrollable bowel movement.

Some people have constipation alternating with diarrhea. There are people who suffer ...
... from IBS who find relief and then find the symptoms recurring after a few months. Still others find their symptoms getting worse as time passes.

Most people do not seek medical help and thus do not know they have IBS because these syndrome spans a long time and the symptoms are fairly common. If you experience these symptoms, go to your doctor. Your doctor will be looking at your symptoms and compare them to the Rome criteria. He or she might also order some specific tests to accurately diagnose if you have IBS or not. Aside from these, your doctor might also order lower gastrointestinal series tests (using x-rays to determine problems in your large intestines) or a colonoscopy (viewing the insides of your colon through a colonoscope).

There are no specific causes pinpointed for these syndromes. One prevailing thought is that those who suffer from IBS have large intestines or colons that are reactive and sensitive to certain stressors or food. A weak immune system has also been thought to be a cause of IBS. While the exact cause has not yet been fully understood, doctors have found that people suffering from anxiety, stress and depression often have a high predisposition towards IBS. Either that or these conditions aggravate an already existing IBS.

Further, doctors often advise IBS sufferers to watch what they eat and how they live. Eating habits and lifestyle influence bowel movement. Too much fat or too little fiber in the diet, smoking, drinking alcohol and caffeine might trigger IBS.

The not-so-good news is there are currently no immediate treatments available for irritable bowel syndrome, but there are things a sufferer could do to alleviate the symptoms.

Changing the diet. People with constipation are advised to add more fiber in their diets. Generally, IBS sufferers are told to avoid lactose, fats and fructose. Some are also told to monitor to see if they are allergic to certain foods and to avoid these.

Taking medicines. Depending on the symptoms present, a person suffering from irritable bowel syndrome may be prescribed antispasmodics, laxatives, serotonin agonists, and serotonin antagonists.

Avoiding stress. Relax and it might relieve you of your symptoms. Because stress has been known to trigger IBS, sufferers have been told to avoid getting stressed as much as possible.

Other modes of treatment. Psychotherapy has been seen to be beneficial to people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. Cognitive behavioral therapy, for example, can improve IBS symptoms. There are other alternative remedies used to alleviate IBS symptoms like peppermint oil, acupuncture, probiotics and others. IBS patients are usually told to try different methods to see what works best for them.

Kirthy Shetty, Platinum author. Get all your tips related to: Irritable Bowel Syndrome


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