Irritable Bowel Syndrome - A one in Five Prospect For All of Us.
By: Bishop Chanakira
Submitted: 2009-06-28 16:52:30 | Word Count: 905
Irritable bowel syndrome (or IBS) is not contagious, inherited, or cancerous. Irritable bowel syndrome is a group of chronic or recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms attributed to the small intestine and colon for which there is no underlying structural or biochemical explanation. About 20% of people have it at some time throughout their life and at any time about 5% of adults have symptoms consistent with IBS. It is mostly prevalent in the developed countries of the world, but notwithstanding the fact that there are many theories about its occurrence and development clear causes have not yet been established.
There is a lot of discussion about the disease but generally speaking, it is commonly believed that IBS is a group of disorders with similar symptoms but a range of causes. For instance, the symptoms of IBS result from what seems to be an imbalance in the interaction between the intestines, the brain, sensory function, and the autonomic nervous system that changes regulation of bowel mobility (motor function).
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IBS is called a functional disorder because there is no evidence of disease when the colon is examined and becauseit limits the ability of the gastrointestinal organs to function correctly. It is also know under various other names, such as:
ColitisIrritable Colon
Mucous Colitis
Nervous Stomach
Spastic Bowel
Spastic Colon.
The Disease is characterized by a group of symptoms in which abdominal pain or discomfort is associated with changes in bowel pattern, such as loose or more frequent bowel movements, diarrhea, and/or constipation.
Common symptoms of IBS include:
Increased or less movement of the bowel causing either diarrhoea or constipation
Stomach cramping or pain
Inability to empty the bowel
nausea, and
Increased gas production which may result in abdominal bloating mucus in stools.
Other common symptoms are bloating, mucus in the stools, or a feeling of not completely emptied your bowels.
IBS is more common in women than menand symptoms often first begin in the late teens to early twenties. Symptoms of IBS may increase stress because of fear that there is some serious disease present.
Only a small percentage of people have severe signs and symptoms. Therefore any new symptoms, especially developing in later life after years of Irritable Bowel Syndrome should be evaluated by a doctor.
Treatment will depend on the types of symptoms you have and severity, as well as how they affect daily function, and will likely involve changes to your lifestyle. Treatment options may include:
A modest increase in dietary fibre, together with plenty of clear fluids
Reducing or eliminating common gas-producing foods, such as beans and cabbage
Reducing or eliminating dairy foods, if lactose intolerance is a trigger
Antidiarrhoeals, such as imodium or lomotil these can be an essential part of management in those with diarrhoea-predominant IBS
Pain-relieving medications .
A group of researchers has produced results of trials worldwide involving three treatments: fibre supplementation, antispasmodics and peppermint oil. Treatment in todays medicine ranges dramatically depending on the symptoms. Many believe that psychological reasons may cause IBS. It is important to rule out physical causes before blaming psychological sources but if all tests are normal and treatment for physical problems is not producing positiveresults, a biopsy is helpful. Prescription medication is available for short-term use in women with IBS whose primary symptom is constipation.
Some doctors believe that psychological reasons may cause IBS. They argue that stressful situations can be associated with transient changes in bowel function. Stress may intensify bowel contractions and there is some evidence that people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome copes less well with stress than do other people. There that show that patients who are not depressed may benefit from taking tricyclics antidepressants in smaller doses than what is typically used to treat depression. Many patients also understand that anxiety can alter proper function of the digestive system and a positive diagnosis together with a supportive therapeutic relationship may be all that is required. Meditation may be of assistance and learning to cope with lifes stresses may be needed by some people. Relaxation therapy or self-hypnosis is useful when stress plays a role.
Severe IBS causes a severe disruption of a patient's life. Although the causes are often unclear, some studies have identified causes or stimulants of IBS. For example, lactose intolerance may produce bloating, cramps and diarrhoea. Lactase deficiency is common, but its role in irritable bowel syndrome is uncertain and restriction of calcium intake especially in women needs monitoring because of the risks of osteoporosis. Occasionally, excessive wheat bran actually increases wind and bloating . Irritable Bowel Syndrome is often the result of food intolerance.
IBS is more common in women than men. In fact, women are 2-3 times more likely than men to get irritable bowel syndrome. The menstrual cycle may exacerbate irritable bowel syndrome symptoms in women.
In conclusion, irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a common problem, and its cause is unknown. It is also known as Colitis, Irritable Colon, Mucous Colitis, Nervous Stomach, Spastic Bowel or Spastic Colon. Irritable bowel syndrome is a group of chronic or recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms attributed to the small intestine and colon for which there is no underlying structural or biochemical explanation . It is characterized by recurrent abdominal pain and discomfort accompanied by alterations in bowel function, diarrhea, constipation or a combination of both, typically experienced over many years.
