Irritable Bowl Syndrome
Introduction To Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome
(IBS) is a very common condition, but in some ways it is still a
mystery. There are many different theories about what causes the
syndrome, and different doctors will give you different reasons for
your illness – anything from stress to bad bacteria to food
intolerance. And once you have been diagnosed, there is no set form
of treatment – instead, sufferers tend to try two or three
supplements or therapies to find a combination that works for them.
IBS is clearly a complicated issue, so here is a basic overview of
the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of this disorder.
The Symptoms
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Although the
symptoms of IBS vary from person to person, there are
several symptoms which are typical of the illness. The most
common symptom is either recurring diarrhea or recurring
constipation (although some patients also have alternating
diarrhea and constipation).
Additional symptoms can include stomach pain (sometimes
relieved by a bowel movement), bloating, nausea and a lot of
gas. These symptoms generally go away for a short time
before returning again, as IBS can work in cycles. Sufferers
may experience a few weeks or even a few months of good
health before the symptoms come back.
Sufferers sometimes find that their symptoms begin after a
bout of food poisoning or an operation. Others date their
symptoms back to a very stressful period in their lives, and
some patients can see no clear reason for why their symptoms
began.
The Diagnosis |
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There is no set test for IBS, and it is often
called a diagnosis of ‘exclusion’. This means that a doctor may
rule out other bowel and stomach complaints such as celiac
disease or inflammatory bowel disease before giving you a
diagnosis of IBS.
Sometimes patients are given a colonoscopy, where a tiny camera
is inserted into the intestines to look for abnormalities. In an
IBS sufferer the colonoscopy won’t detect any physical signs of
disease – IBS is often called a ‘functional’ disorder, because
it seems to be caused by an alteration in the way the body
functions rather than an identifiable cause such as
inflammation.
However, this does not mean it is any less real than, say,
inflammatory bowel disease, it just means that doctors haven’t
come up with a proper test for it yet!
It is very important that you receive a diagnosis of IBS from a
medical professional rather than self-diagnosing, as bowel
symptoms can be present in many other health conditions.
The Treatment
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The first stage of treatment may involve any
medications your doctor has given you to try. This could be
an anti-spasmodic, which will relax the muscles in the gut
walls, or perhaps a low dose of an anti-depressant, which
can help to reduce the pain.
You may also be given one of the new drugs specifically
developed for IBS – Lotronex for diarrhea sufferers and
Zelnorm for constipation sufferers.
If the drugs do not help you then you could try using a
fiber supplement such as Citrucel to add bulk to your stool
– this can be helpful for both diarrhea and constipation.
Also, there are other supplements such as Caltrate Plus
which may be useful (Caltrate Plus contains calcium
carbonate which can reduce diarrhea).
It may also be worth looking at your diet. |
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A nutritionist can advise on ways to identify
any particular food ‘triggers’ which may be setting off your
symptoms, and also on whether you might have a food intolerance
to something like gluten or lactose.
Finally, there are several alternative therapies
which can be effective for IBS. Hypnotherapy has proved very
effective, and a special form called gut-directed hypnotherapy
has been developed just for digestive problems. Acupuncture may
also be worth looking into.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS Resources
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components - and included in these benefits is help for
treating irritable bowel syndrome symptoms:
-
Soluble fiber
-
Enzymes
-
Phenolic compounds
-
Prebiotics
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