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IBS Doctor

It is estimated that around 20% of the population suffer from irritable bowel syndrome or IBS, which is a functional disorder of the digestive tract characterised by diarrhoea, constipation or both, along with abdominal pain and bloating. It is important to note that IBS is only diagnosed after all other potential causes of the symptoms have been ruled out.

What tests are available?

Although there is no test that will diagnose IBS your doctor may well recommend one or more tests in order to establish if anything else is causing the symptoms. These tests can include the following:

Blood tests
Stool analysis
Endoscopy
Colonoscopy
Ultrasound
Gastroscopy
X-ray

Not everyone will receive any or all of these tests; your doctor will decide if it is appropriate or not based on your symptoms and medical history. If you are diagnosed with IBS then you will need to find ways of coping with the symptoms.

What treatment is there?

Unfortunately, doctors are in a difficult situation regarding treatment for IBS as there is no cure and no standard treatment plan and there is no single medication that will work for everyone. This means that it really is a case of finding out what helps you as an individual and what doesn’t.

Some people find that by changing their diet and avoiding stress they can keep their IBS under control. Others may find that their symptoms are so severe they need some sort of medication to help. Again, your doctor will be able to help who may prescribe antispasmodic medication to help control painful stomach cramps, anti-diarrhoeal agents if diarrhoea is the most dominant symptom, stool softeners and laxatives if constipation is the main problem.

You may find that you are prescribed an anti-depressant to help relieve your IBS symptoms but at a lower dose than would be required for an anti-depressant effect. This is because some types of antidepressants appear to help the digestive system to function more efficiently.

What causes IBS?

Although no one knows exactly what causes IBS, what is known is that several factors have been identified that play a role. Some people can relate the onset of their IBS symptoms back to a time when they were going through a stressful event. Others developed IBS after a bout of gastroenteritis or a course of antibiotics. Some people find that it is certain foods that their digestive system cannot tolerate. And of course, for some people there is no obvious trigger at all.

Stress is known to make IBS symptoms much worse, which isn’t surprising given the close interaction between the nervous system, the brain and the gut. Indeed, it is believed that IBS may be a malfunction in the communication processes between the brain and the gut. We all know the feeling we get in our gut when nervous, these feelings are intensified in an IBS sufferer.

You cannot diagnose IBS yourself and indeed, it would be unwise to assume that any abnormal bowel movements are because of IBS. IBS does not lead to cancer or other more serious conditions but it can be disabling and distressing for the sufferer. The first step to controlling your IBS is therefore an accurate diagnosis by your doctor.