Irritable Bowel Syndrome




Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) previously known as colitis, mucous colitis, spastic bowel, or spastic colon. There is no established link between IBS and cancer or any other inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis.

Although the symptoms of IBS vary from one person to another, the general ones are abdominal pain, bloating, sometimes constipation, with mucus in the stool and sometimes diarrhoea, which can be urgent and uncontrollable. Often the constipation and diarrhoea alternate, with symptoms that can subside for a few months and then return, or worsen over time.

At the moment no specific cause for IBS has been pinpointed. Sufferers seem to have a colon that is more sensitive than others to stress or certain foods. It is also possible that the immune system is also somehow involved.

When you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome the colon becomes spasmodic with strong muscle contractions that can come and go, and sometimes the colon can even stop working for a short time. If the contents of the colon move through it too quickly, the colon does not remove enough fluid from the food resulting in diarrhoea. Conversely, if the food moves too slowly through the colon too much liquid is removed from the food resulting in hard, dry stools and constipation.
If you think you have IBS keeping a diary of your symptoms, along with what you have eaten and any stressful situations is a good idea. When you see your doctor he will base his diagnosis mostly on your history. Diagnostic tests may be undertaken in order to rule out other possibilities. The tests could be testing of the stool sample, blood tests, and possibly x rays. By inserting a small, flexible tube with a camera on the end of it into the colon through the anus, the doctor can perform a colonoscopy and check on the state of the colon.

There is no cure for IBS, but there are many options available to treat the symptoms. You can also make changes to your diet and take steps to manage your stress. Fiber supplements or laxatives can be taken for constipation or Lomotil or loperamide (Imodium) to treat diarrhoea. An antispasmodic can be used to help control colon muscle spasms and to reduce any abdominal pain. Medications can affect different people in different ways, so there is no one medication or medications the will work for everyone who has IBS. Work closely with your doctor to find the best solution for you – it could be a combination of medicine, diet and even counselling to control your symptoms.

More about Irritable Bowel Syndrome:

Elimination Diet Guidelines

One of the more challenging aspects of dealing with IBS is to try to figure out if certain foods really do trigger your symptoms. The basic guideline used to be to avoid a food for a period of three months to see if there was any effect.

Can Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Cause Weight Gain?

Irritable Bowel Syndrome can have some pretty awful side effects. Stomach pain, cramping, stages of diarrhea and constipation, along with various other side effects that may be triggered with IBS can really determine what a person does.

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