There are many people suffering from digestive system problems or disorders, but they have no clear diagnosis. In some cases, they don%26rsquo;t even know what the problem is.
However, it is possible this is simply an irritable bowel syndrome.For all those people, it may be worth their while to learn the facts about this problem. It may be surprising to hear that this is the most common gastrointestinal complaint in the world.
What is the 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 this.
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. Some people with IBS suffer predominantly from constipation, while others suffer predominantly from diarrhea. Some IBS patients have alternating bouts of both.
IBS involves an abnormality of the muscular action that passes food along the colon. This condition is also described as increased nerve sensitivity in the colon. It is important to know that IBS is not categorized as a disease, but as a syndrome, since it 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.
IBS Symptoms
The most common symptoms of 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 IBS. 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 IBS
* 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 disease are Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.)
* IBS symptoms vary in frequency, where some people can go on 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, such as dietary modifications and stress reduction. In some cases, these changes could improve the symptoms. Medication may also help with symptoms of the irritable bowel syndrome.
* Certain types of food, 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 manageable, but we cannot say there is cure for this syndrome.
* IBS may include other symptoms such as constant fatigue, tiredness, 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 abused as children.
* While stress may aggravate IBS symptoms, other factors, particularly colon motility and sensitivity of the nerves in the colon, also play an important role.
What causes IBS?
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 relate to the irritable bowel syndrome.
Abnormalities in serotonin levels also relate to depression, just as IBS.
IBS is rarely debilitating, but in some cases, it can restrict the ability to attend school or social functions. It could also impair a patient%26rsquo;s work, or even travel short distances. IBS has many names including colitis, mucous colitis, spastic colon, spastic bowel, and functional bowel disease, all referring to the same problem. Some of these terms are inaccurate; colitis for instance, means inflammation of the large intestine. IBS, however, does not cause inflammation. That is why this condition should not be confused 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 affect life span in any way. However, if left untreated, the symptoms will often persist, leading to ongoing pain and discomfort.
Diagnosing IBS
To be diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, the patient must have had 3 months or more of abdominal discomfort or pain. If this pain is relieved by defecation, or associated with a change in stool frequency or constipation, diagnosis might be IBS. If you have two or more of the symptoms 25% or more of the time (a change in stool frequency or form, altered stool passage, mucus in the stool or bloating), your diagnosis may be IBS.
Treatment of IBS
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 was pulled from the market due to severe adverse reactions. Ischemic colitis occurred in a few patients with constipation-predominant IBS. Each doctor who prescribes Lotronex must participate in a special program aimed to avoid this complication.
Doctors were approving zelnorm or tegaserod maleate 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 (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 the irritable bowel syndrome?
Some food may worsen the symptoms, but different patients find different things cause trouble with their irritable bowel syndrome.
Keeping a diary of symptoms related to food eaten may help. This way it is easier to find out which things disagree with your bowels and what you should avoid. 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 relieve symptoms. Beans and legumes are causes of problems for some patients as well. Artificial sweeteners may cause problems, as can the sugar in certain fruits. If this happened to you, try to avoid this kind of foods.
Caffeine in tea and coffee, as well as alcohol, may aggravate symptoms in some people with IBS. In some 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 high in fibers. Since the cause of IBS is unknown, it is not possible to prevent the condition reliably.
Does stress play a part in IBS?
Stress may intensify bowel contractions, and there is some evidence that people with irritable bowel syndrome do not handle stress as well as others. 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 stress 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.
A patient might find help through relaxation, or perhaps just by taking regular physical exercise. Adequate sleep and avoidance of fatigue is something each doctor recommends. Meditation may be of assistance in handling life%26rsquo;s stresses, and it is of great help for some people with IBS. Avoiding stressful situations, learning new ways of coping with them, or using biofeedback to control one%26rsquo;s response may all have roles to play in this problem. Remember to consider the possibility that you%26rsquo;re lacking important essential vitamins and minerals. This might be especially important for people who avoid milk products, as they may miss calcium. These people should take additional calcium supplements to relieve possible symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
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