Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
At least 58 million Americans have suffered Irritable Bowel Syndrome at some stage in their lives. They have cramp like abdominal pains, diarrhoea and constipation. These symptoms vary in individual IBS sufferers and vary also from day to day. Jeffrey Roberts, president of the IBS Self Help and Support Group, says, “IBS is an illness which seems to strike people down.”
For a diagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome your symptoms must be present for 12 weeks in a twelve month period. The symptoms of IBS are characterised by pains in the abdomen and must include at least two of the following three. The gut pain is relieved by opening of the bowels, there is change in the frequency of bowel movements and an alteration of the appearance of stools.
At present no one is sure what causes Irritable Bowel Syndrome or what it actually is. There are, however, things we know about IBS. The large gut is more sensitive than in people without IBS. Hormonal changes can trigger symptoms and explains why 80% of IBS sufferers are women. There is a higher incidence of physical and sexual abuse in the IBS group and it can develop following a bout of severe gastroenteritis. Flare up or symptoms can develop with stressful situations and eating certain foods.
This is a very distressing condition with symptoms such as diarrhoea, constipation, abdominal pains, bloating and rectal pain. But even though these symptoms are present, there is no abnormality of the gut. It is just a functional problem.
If you have symptoms of IBS, see your doctor for a diagnosis. Your doctor is likely to do tests to exclude serious diseases before a diagnosis is made. With the Rome Criteria, a diagnosis can be made with minimal diagnostic test. However, if you have bleeding from the rectum, loss of appetite, weight loss, anaemia or symptoms developing after fifty years of age, you should see your doctor very soon because you will need addition investigation.
For IBS sufferers who feel that it is all in the head, research has shown that there is a link connecting the gut with the brain. Experts think that the Brain-Gut axis is very important in the cause, symptoms and treatment of IBS. Serotonin also has a role in the symptoms of IBS. High blood level is found in Diarrhoea predominant IBS and low level is found in Constipation predominant IBS.
It is reassuring for IBS patients that it is not a cancer and will not lead to cancer or other gastrointestinal diseases. Surprisingly, however, it is estimated that in the global population 20% has or had IBS at some stage in their lives.
It is very difficult for IBS patients to come to terms with this condition especially when they are told no one knows the true cause, no one treatment works for everyone and that there is no cure. Depending on the type of IBS you have, dietary changes, behavioural therapy, stress management and various alternative treatments options are available.
In Irritable Bowel Syndrome, you can develop severe abdominal spasms after meals. This is due to the gastrocolic reflex. This is a stronger than normal peristaltic contractions, in response to stretch of the stomach lining and because the gut is more sensitive in IBS, it is painful. If you have severe pains soon after meals, you can reduce the pain by eating smaller but more frequent meals.
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