An Introduction to Irritable Bowel Syndrome
by: Sophie Lee
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.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is clearly a complicated issue,
so here is a basic overview of the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment
of this disorder.
The symptoms
Although the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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 Irritable Bowel Syndrome 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
There is no set test for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, 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 Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
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
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. 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.
About The Author
Sophie Lee has had IBS for more than 15 years. She runs
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Treatment http://www.irritable-bowel-syndrome.ws
where you can read descriptions and reviews of the treatments
available for IBS, from drugs to alternative therapy.
sophie@ibstales.com |
