Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a common digestive disorder that many people around the world suffer from. It is known as “IBS” for short. IBS is caused when the intestines squeeze too hard or not hard enough and cause food to move too quickly or too slowly through the intestines. It is not a very serious disorder and usually begins around age 20 and is mostly common in females. There is no treatment to completely get rid of the disorder, but there are treatments available to relive some of the symptoms. IBS does not lead to more serious conditions, and is not a serious digestive disorder.

Some common symptoms of IBS are bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping. The symptoms can become worse for the person that has IBS if they’re under stress, or they aren’t eating healthy enough. Women will notice more frequent symptoms during their menstrual periods. Although there is no cure for IBS, there are treatments that help to relieve some of the symptoms. Some known treatments or methods are eating a fibre rich diet and managing stress levels. There are prescription and over the counter drugs available, but most of them have their own unwanted side effects.

So what actually causes IBS? Well, researchers have yet to discover any specific cause for IBS. But one theory states that IBS may be caused by a bacterial infection in the gastrointestinal tract. Studies show that people who have had gastroenteritis sometimes develop IBS. Another theory that researchers have come up with is that IBS may simply occur because a person’s colon may respond strongly to stimuli such as certain foods or stress that would not bother other people.

IBS is generally diagnosed on the basis of a complete medical history that includes a careful description of symptoms and a physical examination. There is no specific test for IBS, but the doctor may decide to have the patient tested for other diseases with similar side effects so he can rule them out. These tests include stool sample testing, blood tests, and X rays. Another test that the doctor performs is the colonoscopy, which allows the doctor to look closely inside the colon. If all the tests results are negative for the other diseases, then the doctor can diagnose the patient with IBS based on his symptoms.

In conclusion, Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a very common digestive disorder. Someone that has IBS will have to deal with it for the rest of their lives. But fortunately IBS does not cause any other serious diseases and its symptoms can be treated effectively with the right foods and good stress management.

References
Family doctor. (2009). Information about digestive disorders. Irritable Bowel Syndrome. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/digestive/disorders/112.html
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearing House (NDDIC). Information about digestive disorders. Irritable Bowel Syndrome. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/ibs/