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	What Is IBS
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What Is IBS

Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS as it is commonly known can be described as a disorder resulting from impaired functioning of the digestive tract. People suffering from IBS appear to have a disturbance in the way that the gut or the intestines interact with the brain and the nervous system to regulate and control bowel movements.

What are the symptoms of IBS?

Symptoms of IBS include abdominal pain, often in the lower abdomen, in association with a change in bowel movements. These changes can involve more frequent bowel movements with diarrhoea or constipation or perhaps a mixture of both diarrhoea and constipation at different times. Patients often report that there is relief from pain after a bowel movement. Other symptoms can include feeling bloated, excessive flatulence (wind), a feeling of incomplete evacuation after a bowel movement, indigestion and nausea.

How is IBS diagnosed?

There are no physical tests to indicate the presence of IBS and diagnosis is usually made when a patient presents with the symptoms of IBS and where there are no other apparent causes for the symptoms. The Rome 11 diagnostic criteria can be used to diagnose IBS. This means that for at least 12 weeks within the past year, not necessarily consecutively, abdominal pain or discomfort is accompanied by at least two of the following:

Symptoms are relieved after a bowel movement and/or
The onset is associated with a change in the frequency of bowel movements and/or
The onset is association with a change in the appearance or form of the stools

Other symptoms which support a diagnosis of IBS include bowel frequencies that are too often or not enough, stools that are either hard and lumpy or runny and loose, excessive straining or feelings of urgency or incomplete evacuation, the presence of mucous in the stools and abdominal bloating.

Who gets IBS?

IBS is extremely common and can affect anyone, including children, although women seem to be at greater risk. It is believed that around 20% of the population suffer from IBS although this figure could be much higher as many people never seek help for their IBS symptoms.

What causes IBS?

No one knows exactly what causes IBS and the way it manifests itself can vary from person to person. For some it may be a mild inconvenience whereas for others it can seriously impair their quality of life. What is known is that there are a number of factors that can “trigger” IBS or make it worse, for example, certain foods and drinks, stress and anxiety.

What is the treatment for IBS?

For those that do seek help for IBS, treatment tends to involve finding ways to manage and control the symptoms. For example, if diarrhoea is the most dominant symptom avoid stimulants such as tea, coffee, alcohol and spicy foods. Imodium can offer some relief from persistent diarrhoea. If constipation proves to be the major problem make sure that plenty of fibre is included in the diet and when particularly troublesome, a mild laxative might help. In all cases of IBS learning to control or avoid stress can significantly improve the symptoms. If you suspect you might have IBS, speak to your doctor in the first instance in order to rule out any other possible causes for the symptoms and to obtain an accurate diagnosis.