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Do You, or Your Child, Suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome? |
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What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a problem in that occurs mainly in the bowel, whose role in the digestive system is to make and store stools. IBS can cause several symptoms including cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation. IBS can be painful.
But it does not damage the bowel or cause any other diseases.
Due to IBS causing so many symptons it is referred to as a syndrome, not a disease. It's a functional disorder, which means the bowel doesn't work as it should.
What Triggers IBS?
Emotional stress will not cause IBS in a person, however if you already have IBS it can be triggered by stress. Other common things that can trigger the symptoms of IBS are food, exercise and hormones (especially for women during their menstrual cycle).
Foods that trigger symptons can include milk products, alcohol, chocolate, caffeine, carbonated drinks, fatty foods or simply eating too much.
To find out which foods are a problem, write down this information:
- what you eat during the day
- what symptoms you have
- when symptoms occur
- what foods always make you feel bad
Take your notes to the doctor to see if you should stop eating certain foods.
How is IBS diagnosed?
The doctor will suspect that you have IBS because of your symptoms. But the doctor may do medical tests to make sure you don't have any other diseases that could cause the symptoms.
In my case I was sent to see a gastroentorologist several times to discuss my condition and then had a colonoscopy and endoscopy performed to obtain biopsies to ensure that there was no other cause for my symptoms as bowel cancer runs in my family.
What is the treatment?
IBS has no cure, but you can do things to relieve symptoms. Treatment may involve diet changes, medicines, herbal aids and stress relief.
You may have to try a few different things to see which works for you - sometimes a combination is required. I have implemented all of the above treatments, however I no longer take medication as simply changing my diet and relieving stress has eased my problems.
IBS causes the nerves and muscles in the bowel to be extra sensitive. For instance, the muscles may contract too much when you eat. These contractions can cause cramping and diarrhea during or shortly after a meal. Or the nerves can be overly sensitive to the stretching of the bowel (because of gas, for example). Cramping or pain can result
(April 2007) (
