Irritable Bowel Syndrome - A one in Five Prospect For All of Us.
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By :
Bishop Chanakira
Submitted
2009-06-28 19:09:59 |
Irritable bowel syndrome (or IBS) is not contagious, inherited, or cancerous. It is generally considered to belong to a group of chronic or recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms attributed to the small intestine and colon for which there is no underlying structural or biochemical explanation. About 20% of people have it and at any time about 5% of adults have symptoms consistent with IBS. It is mostly prevalent in the developed countries of the world, but notwithstanding the fact that there are many theories about its occurrence and development it is not clear what causes IBS.
There is a lot of speculation about the disease and generally speaking, it is commonly believed that irritable bowel syndrome is a group of disorders with similar symptoms but various root causes. For instance, the symptoms of IBS result from what seems to be an imbalance in the interaction between the gastrointestinal system, the brain, sensory function, and the nervous system that changes regulation of bowel mobility (motor function).
IBS is called a functional disorder because there is no sign of disease when the colon is examined and it limits the ability of the gastrointestinal organs to function correctly. IBS also know under various other names, such as:
ColitisIrritable Colon
Mucous Colitis
Nervous Stomach
Spastic Bowel
Spastic Colon.
Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by a group of symptoms in which abdominal pain or discomfort is associated with changes in bowel pattern, such as loose or more frequent bowel movements, diarrhea, and constipation.
Common symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome include:
Increased or decreased movement of the bowel causing either diarrhoea or constipation
Abdominal cramping or pain
Inability to empty the bowel
nausea, and
Increased gas production which may result in abdominal bloating mucus in stools.
Other common symptoms are bloating, mucus in the stools, or a feeling of not completely emptied your bowels.
IBS is more common in women than men. Symptoms of IBS may increase stress because of fear that there is some serious disease present.
Only a small percentage of people have severe signs and symptoms. Therefore any new symptoms, especially developing in later life after years of Irritable Bowel Syndrome should be evaluated by a doctor.
Treatment will depend on the types of symptoms you have and their severity, as well as how they affect your daily life, and will likely involve changes to your lifestyle. Treatment options may include:
A modest increase in dietary fibre, together with plenty of clear fluids
Reducing or eliminating common gas-producing foods
Reducing or eliminating dairy foods
Antidiarrhoeals, such as imodium or lomotil these can be an essential part of management in those with diarrhoea-predominant IBS
Pain-relieving medications opiates such as codeine can provide effective pain relief.
A group of researchers has produced results of trials worldwide involving three treatments: fibre supplementation, antispasmodics and peppermint oil. Treatment in todays medicine ranges dramatically depending on the symptoms. Many believe that psychological reasons may cause IBS. It is important to rule out physical causes before blaming psychological reasons but if all tests are normal and treatment for physical problems is not producing results, a biopsy may be helpful. Prescription medication is available for short-term use in women with IBS whose primary symptom is constipation.
As mentioned above, some in the medical profession believe that psychological reasons may cause IBS. They argue that acutely stressful situations can be associated with transient changes in bowel function. Stress may intensify bowel contractions and there is some evidence that people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome copes less well with stress than do other people. There re however many observations which show that patients who are not depressed may benefit from taking antidepressants in doses which are smaller than those used to treat depression. Some patients also understand that anxiety can alter proper function of the digestive system and a positive diagnosis and explanation together with a supportive therapeutic relationship may be all that is required. Meditation may be of assistance and learning to cope with lifes stresses may be needed by some people. Relaxation therapy or self-hypnosis is useful when stress plays a role.
Although the causes are often unclear, some studies have identified causes or stimulants of IBS. For example, lactose intolerance may produce bloating, cramps and diarrhoea. Occasionally, excessive wheat bran actually increases wind and bloating . Irritable Bowel Syndrome is often the result of food intolerance.
IBS is more common in women than men. In fact, women are 2-3 times more likely than men to get irritable bowel syndrome. Menses may exacerbate irritable bowel syndrome symptoms in women.
In conclusion, irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a common problem, and its cause is unknown. The Disease can also known as Colitis, Irritable Colon, Mucous Colitis, Nervous Stomach, Spastic Bowel or Spastic Colon. Irritable bowel syndrome is a group of chronic or recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms attributed to the small intestine and colon for which there is no underlying structural or biochemical explanation and is generally classified as a "functional" disorder. It is characterized by recurrent abdominal pain and discomfort accompanied by alterations in bowel function, diarrhea, constipation or a combination of both, typically over months or years. |
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Author Resource:-
Bishop has a keen interest in the human digestive system and writes about irritable bowel syndrome. |
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