IBS Symptoms

Irritable Bowel Syndrome – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

 

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a problem that affects the large intestine. It can cause abdominal cramping, bloating and a change in bowel habits. Some people with the disorder have constipation. Some have diarrhea. Some go back and forth between constipation and diarrhea. Although IBS can cause a great deal of discomfort, it does not harm the intestines.

 

What causes IBS?

 

Doctors are not sure what causes IBS. The nerves and muscles in the bowel appear to be extra sensitive in people with IBS. Muscles may contract too much when you eat. These contractions can cause cramping and diarrhea during or shortly after a meal. Or the nerves may react when the bowel stretches, causing cramping or pain.

 

The lining of the colon called the epithelium, which is affected by the immune and nervous systems, regulates the flow of fluids in and out of the colon. In IBS, the epithelium appears to work properly. However, when the contents inside the colon move too quickly, the colon loses its ability to absorb fluids. The result is too much fluid in the stool. In other people, the movement inside the colon is too slow, which causes extra fluid to be absorbed. As a result, a person develops constipation.

 

IBS can be classified as either diarrhea-predominant (IBS-D), constipation-predominant (IBS-C) or IBS with alternating stool pattern (IBS-A or pain-predominant[6]). In some individuals, IBS may have an acute onset and develop after an infectious illness characterised by two or more of the following: fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or positive stool culture. This post-infective syndrome has consequently been termed “post-infectious IBS” (IBS-PI).

 

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Symptoms

 

Like many people, you may have only mild signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Sometimes these problems can be disabling, however. In some cases, you may have severe signs and symptoms that don’t respond well to medical treatment. Because symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome can be present with other diseases, it’s best to discuss these symptoms with your doctor.

 

Abdominal cramping and pain that are relieved after bowel movements

 

Alternating periods of diarrhea and constipation

 

Change in the stool frequency or consistency

 

Other symptoms sometimes occur and include: nausea (feeling sick), headache, belching, poor appetite, tiredness, backache, muscle pains, feeling quickly ‘full’ after eating, heartburn, and bladder symptoms (an associated ‘irritable bladder’).

 

How is IBS diagnosed?

 

Your doctor may start by asking you questions about your symptoms. If your symptoms have had a pattern over time, the pattern may make it clear to your doctor that IBS is the cause.

 

Medical history — The diagnosis of IBS begins with a comprehensive medical history. The medical history will include a discussion of the nature, duration, and severity of gastrointestinal and other symptoms. Sometimes a medical history reveals that dietary factors or drugs are actually causing a person’s symptoms. Clinicians routinely ask about past and present physical or sexual abuse and stress because these factors may have a role in IBS.

 

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Treatment

 

Treatment for IBS depends on the severity of the disease. It can often be controlled by changes in diet and stress management. Other cases warrant medication — over-the-counter or prescription. For some people IBS can be disabling and for others it is chronic and fluctuates in severity, disappearing temporarily or completely.

 

Alosetron hydrochloride (Lotronex) can be used for women with severe IBS who have not responded to conventional therapy and whose primary symptom is diarrhea. However, even in these patients, it should be used with caution because it can have serious side effects, such as severe constipation or decreased blood flow to the colon.

 

IBS is a non-life threatening illness. It does not progress or increase your risk of developing Inflammatory Bowel Disease or Cancer. Treatment focuses on the relief of symptoms so you can live your life as normally as possible.