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INTRODUCTION: IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) is a functional bowel disorder of the gastrointestinal tract characterized by reoccuring abdominal pain and discomfort accompanied by alterations in bowel function, diarrhea, constipation or a combination of both, usually over months or years. It exhibits a predominance in women, with females representing over 70 percent of sufferers and can cause cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation. IBS doesn't damage the bowel or lead to other health conditions. It has no known cure, but you can do things to relieve the symptoms.
SYNDROME: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a long-term (chronic) but manageable condition. No single type of treatment works best for everyone. It is a "syndrome," meaning a group of symptoms. As noted, Irritable Bowel Syndrome is characterized by its symptoms such as continuous or recurrent lower abdominal pain or cramping (from mild to excruciating) in association with altered bowel motility (diarrhea, constipation, or both).
It's important that the following diseases are excluded before you accept a diagnosis of IBS: Colon and carcinoid cancer, Inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis), Bowel obstructions, Diverticulosis / Diverticulitis, Gallstones, Food allergies, Celiac (a genetic, autoimmune disorder resulting in gluten intolerance), Bacterial infections and small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), Intestinal parasites, Endometriosis, Ovarian cancer.
SYMPTOMS: Signs that cumulatively support the diagnosis of IBS: unusual stool frequency (may be defined as greater than 3 bowel movements daily or less than 3 bowel movements weekly), abnormal stool form (lumpy/hard or loose/watery stool), abnormal stool passage (straining, urgency, or incomplete evacuation feeling), passage of mucus, bloating or feeling of abdominal distension.
You and your physician will need to work together to determine what may be producing your symptoms. It may be necessary for you to adapt your lifestyle to best deal with your symptoms and still continue with your daily activities.
TREATMENT: Depends 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. It is important that you work closely with your health professional to create a treatment plan that will meet your needs.
Let your health professional know if parts of your treatment are not helping your symptoms. Your doctor will give you the best treatments for your particular symptoms and encourage you to manage stress and make changes to your diet. Unfortunately, many people suffer from IBS for a long time before seeking medical treatment.
CONCLUSION: Irritable bowel syndrome affects the colon, or large bowel, which is the part of the digestive tract that stores stool. It can create a lot of discomfort and distress, but it does not permanently hurt the intestines and does not lead to a serious disease, such as cancer. It is usually diagnosed on the basis of a complete medical history that includes a careful description of symptoms and a physical examination.
IBS is running rampant because orthodox medicine has no diagnosis for it. For some people who have it, certain foods may cause symptoms. If you suffer from this problem you may already be aware that fat can irritate your condition. A diagnosis of IBS has been reported by 10 to 20 percent of adults in the US, and symptoms are responsible for over 3 million annual visits to MD's.
Richard H. Ealom is an author who has authored over 60 articles on Diseases...Their Causes And Cures. Learn of Natural Cures for ADHD that work by visiting the http://www.adhdsite.info How to End The ADD/ADHD Nightmare! website. You may reprint this article as long as you leave this box unchanged.
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