Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a precise common condition, but in some ways it is standing a mystery. There are many diametric 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

Although the symptoms of IBS vary from person to person, there are single symptoms which are typical of the illness. The most common symptom is either recurring diarrhea or recurring constipation (although some patients also have cyclical 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 absent for a brief time before regressive again, as IBS can work in cycles. Sufferers may experience a hardly a weeks or equal 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 disagreeable period in their lives, and whatsoever patients can see no clear reason for why their symptoms began.

The diagnosis

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 unhealthy bowel disease before giving you a diagnosis of IBS.

Sometimes patients are given a colonoscopy, where a small 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 nasty it is some less real than, say, inflammatory bowel disease, it retributory means that doctors haven’t come up with a prissy 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 galore other health conditions.

The treatment

The first stage of treatment may involve any medications your doctor has acknowledged you to try. This could be an anti-spasmodic, which will relax the muscles in the gut walls, or perhaps a contrabass 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 much as Citrucel to add bulk to your stool – this can be helpful for some diarrhea and constipation. Also, there are other supplements much as Caltrate nonnegative which may be useful (Caltrate nonnegative contains calcium carbonate which can reduce diarrhea).

It may also be worthy looking at your diet. A nutritionist can advise on ways to identify any particular food ‘triggers’ which may be setting disconnected your symptoms, and also on whether you might have a food intolerance to something same gluten or lactose.

Finally, there are several alternative therapies which can be effective for IBS. Hypnotherapy has tested very effective, and a special form called gut-directed hypnotherapy has been formulated just for digestive problems. Acupuncture may also be worthy looking into.

About The Author

However, this new awareness sometimes means that patients decide they have IBS without sighted a doctor. In fact it is impossible to self-diagnose IBS, because there are far cardinal many medical conditions which can produce symptoms of diarrhea, constipation and abdominal pain.

Because of this fact it is vital to get your symptoms thoroughly checked out by a doctor, especially if they are continuing for a long period of time or are interfering with your work or ethnic life.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a enervating and distressing condition, which affects 10-20% of the population. IBS is defined by abdominal pain and altered bowel function such as constipation, diarrhea or alternating diarrhea and constipation. Some people have occasional symptoms, which can be aggravated by stress or food intolerances. Others experience unhealthful symptoms, and struggle to maintain their quality of life in the absence of any targeted, effective pharmaceutical treatments.

This disorder affects people of complete ages and backgrounds, including children, although women are predominantly affected. Severe IBS can dramatically restrict mobility, through loss of control of bowel function and severe abdominal pain. These symptoms contribute to IBS being second only to the common cool as the most frequent cause of absenteeism from work and school.

Despite the significant impact on individuals and the population at large, there is no clear settled cause for IBS. Whilst medical investigations are important to eliminate the possibility of an over-lapping pathology such as parasites, candida, unhealthy bowel disease, cealiacs or Crohn’s disease, there is no specific investigation which patients can test positive for in order to confirm a diagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. A diagnosis of IBS is much often a diagnosis of exclusion – if its not another gastrointestinal condition, and it fits the symptom picture of IBS, past it is IBS.

The current acknowledged criteria for diagnosing IBS is the Rome criteria (adopted in medical texts and by the American Gastroenterological Association). Their definition of IBS consists of:

At least 12 weeks, which need not be consecutive, in the previous 12 months of abdominal discomfort or pain that has two of cardinal features:

• Relieved with defecation and/or
• Onset associated with a change in frequency of stool and/or
• Onset related with a change in form (appearance) of stool.

The following symptoms support the diagnosis of IBS:

• Abnormal bowel movement frequency (more than three per day or less than three per week),
• Abnormal stool form (lumpy/hard or loose/water),
• Abnormal stool passage (straining, urgency, or feeling of partial evacuation),
• Mucous passed with stools,
• Abdominal bloating or distension.

There are few effective treatments for IBS. Pharmaceutical medications include anti-diarrheal agents and laxatives, some of which can be calumniatory if used repeatedly. Significant improvements can be made finished dietary changes which can therefore reducing some trigger factors for IBS. It is also influential to practice whatsoever stress reduction techniques such as snoring techniques, and constructive psychology, as there is a matrilineal link between stress and an aggravation of IBS symptoms.

The most promising, long-lasting and side-effect free results in the treatment of IBS were supported on a life-sized clinical trial conducted at an Australian university, and publicized in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1998.

These results demonstrated a 64-76% improvement rate on all measures of IBS much as abdominal pain, distention and bowel habits. These results were achieved in a double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trial conducted by gastroenterologists and doctors. The remarkable positive results were achieved in the treatment group that received Chinese herbal treatments. This same formula can be purchased as pre-made capsules from select retailers, and it offers big hope for those struggling with IBS.

Dr. Maia Dodds is the author of ‘The Irritable Bowel Syndrome Improvement Program’