There are many people suffering of digestive system problems or disorders, but they have no diagnosis. In some cases, they even do not know what the problem is. However, many people know it could be irritable bowel syndrome.
For all those people, it is worth any info and facts about their problem. Especially, it is surprising when we hear this is the most common gastrointestinal complaint in the world.
What is irritable bowel syndrome?
Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS, is a relatively common syndrome of abdominal discomfort or pain, bloating, and changes in bowel habits. IBS is the most common gastrointestinal complaint in the United States, affecting up to 40 million people. It can affect men and women of all ages. However, for unknown reasons, it most often strikes the young and female. IBS generally first appears in people in their 20s to 40s, and women are roughly three times more likely to suffer from problem with irritable bowel syndrome.
It seems that 24% of women in the United States suffer from IBS. Moreover, women with IBS seem to have more symptoms during their periods, suggesting that reproductive hormones may play a role. The pain or cramping with IBS can be a dull ache over one or several areas of the abdomen. For some, the pain can be intolerable and without relief, as a huge problem. Some people with IBS suffer predominantly from constipation while others suffer predominantly from diarrhea. Some of irritable bowel syndrome patients have alternating bouts of both. IBS involves an abnormality of the muscular action that passes food along the colon. This condition refers to as well as an increased sensitivity of the nerves in the colon. It is important to know that IBS is not a disease, then a syndrome. Reason is that IBS represents a collection of symptoms. IBS is considered as functional disorder because there is no identifiable pathology and it can strike otherwise healthy people. Biological, psychological, and social factors can all contribute to symptoms of the irritable bowel syndrome.
Symptoms for irritable bowel syndrome
The most common symptoms for irritable bowel syndrome are:
- abdominal or stomach pain
- relief by defecation, opening the bowels, and passing stool
- change in frequency or consistency of stool
- irregular pattern of defecation for at least two days a week
- altered stool frequency
- altered stool form
- altered stool passage
- passage of mucus
- bloating or feeling of abdominal distension
If you have some of these symptoms, then you probably have irritable bowel syndrome.
Similar symptoms include loose or watery stools, rushing to the toilet, needing to go to the toilet just after going, and needing to loosen clothes after eating.
Facts about irritable bowel syndrome
- While IBS often causes a great deal of discomfort and distress, it does not cause permanent harm to the intestines. Furthermore, it does not lead to intestinal bleeding, and it does not cause cancer or inflammatory bowel diseases. Examples for such a disease are Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.
- IBS symptoms vary in frequency, where some people can go for weeks or months with no symptoms while others may experience symptoms daily.
- Some patients can identify the triggers of their symptoms and can make lifestyle changes. Their changes are such as dietary modifications and stress reduction. In some cases, these changes could improve their symptoms. Medication may also help for symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
- Certain medicines and foods, such as chocolate, high-fat foods, milk products, or large amounts of alcohol, may trigger attacks of IBS. Caffeine can cause loose stools even in some people without IBS, but it is particularly problematic for people with this problem.
- IBS is possible to manage, but we cannot say there is cure for this syndrome.
- IBS may include other symptoms such as constant fatigue or feeling tired, and even depression.
- Depression and anxiety disorders can aggravate IBS and IBS can contribute to depression and anxiety disorders as well.
- Some research indicates that IBS may be more common among people who were experienced abusing as children.
- While stress may aggravate IBS symptoms, other factors, particularly colon motility and sensitivity of the nerves in the colon, play an important role.
What causes irritable bowel syndrome?
The gastrointestinal tract contains a network of nerves. A chemical neurotransmitter known as serotonin regulates the movement and sensitivity of the bowel. Abnormalities in serotonin levels relates to irritable bowel syndrome.
Abnormalities in serotonin levels, also relates to depression the same as for IBS. IBS is rarely debilitating, but in some cases, it can restrict the ability to attend school or social functions. It could also impair patient’s work, or even travel short distances. IBS has many names including colitis, mucous colitis, spastic colon, spastic bowel, and functional bowel disease that each refers to the same problem. Some of these terms are inaccurate, where colitis for instance, means inflammation of the large intestine. IBS, however, does not cause inflammation. That is why this condition should not confuse with ulcerative colitis. There is no evidence that IBS leads to more serious medical problems such as colitis or cancer. Irritable bowel syndrome also does not affects life span in any way. However, if left untreated, the symptoms will often persist, leading to pain and discomfort that many people reported.
Diagnosing of irritable bowel syndrome
To diagnose irritable bowel syndrome, the patient must have had 3 months or more of abdominal discomfort or pain relieved. If this pain relieves by defecation, or associated with a change in stool frequency or constipation diagnosis might be IBS. If you have two or more of the following symptoms 25% or more of the time, such as a change in stool frequency or form, altered stool passage, mucus in the stool or bloating your diagnosis is IBS.
Treatment for irritable bowel syndrome
Lotronex or alosetron is now FDA-approved for the treatment of IBS for patients with moderate to severe diarrhea, as their predominant symptom. This medication pulled from the market due to severe adverse reactions. Most common ischemic colitis occurs in a few patients with constipation-predominant IBS. Each doctor who prescribes Lotronex must participate in a special program aimed to avoid this complication.
Zelnorm or tegaserod maleate doctors were approving in July 2002 for the treatment of IBS in those whose primary symptom is constipation. The major side effect is diarrhea, usually during the first week of treatment.
Celexa or citalopram is an antidepressant in the SSRI, which means selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, class. This may help women with IBS who are constipated, anxious, and who have difficulty sleeping, but side effects may include weight gain and decreased libido.
How to relieve irritable bowel syndrome
Some foods may worsen the symptoms, but different patients find different things cause trouble with their irritable bowel syndrome.
Keeping a diary of symptoms related to foods eaten may help some people. This way it is easier to find out which things disagree with them and what they should avoid. The fact is fatty foods strongly stimulate the bowel to contract and are commonly found to cause problems by people with IBS. Avoidance of oils, butter, margarine, cream, sausages and fatty meats may help to relieve symptoms. Beans and legumes are causes of problems for some patients as well. Artificial sweeteners may cause problems, as can the sugars in certain fruits. If this happened to you, try to avoid this kind of foods.
Caffeine in tea and coffee, and alcohol may aggravate symptoms in some people with IBS diagnosis. In occasional cases, people may also have a disease called lactose intolerance. This disease prevents them being able to take unprocessed milk products. A good diet is usually one high in carbohydrate, low in fat, and often high in fibers. Since the cause of IBS is unknown, it is not possible to prevent reliably the condition
Does stress play a part in irritable bowel syndrome?
Stress may intensify bowel contractions and there is some evidence that people with irritable bowel syndrome do not handle with stress good as other people. This is not surprising given that sufferers do not feel well at all. In fact, it may be surprising that people with irritable bowel syndrome are not under greater stress then others. Managing stress effectively, especially when it relates to human health, is an individual matter. Breaking any feedback cycle is important. Remembering that IBS is not associated with any more serious or life-threatening underlying bowel disease is a good place to start. Patient might find help through relaxation perhaps just by taking regular physical exercise. Adequate sleep and avoidance of fatigue is something each doctor recommends. Meditation may be of assistance to handle with life’s stresses and it is great help for some people with IBS. Avoiding stressful situations, learning new ways of coping with them or using biofeedback to control one’s response may all have roles to play in this problem. It is important that if you discover exclusions which work and which you plan to continue. Remember to consider the possibility that important essential vitamins and minerals you should take. This might be especially important for people who avoid milk products as they may miss adequate calcium. These people should take additional calcium supplementation to relieve possible symptoms with irritable bowel syndrome.
