Irritable bowel syndrome also called IBS is one of the most
common disorders of the digestive tract. Symptoms of IBS often
increase with stress or after eating and include
Abdominal bloating, pain, and gas Mucus in the stool Feeling as
if a bowel movement hasn't been completed Irregular bowel habits
with constipation, diarrhea, or both The cause of IBS is
unknown. Symptoms are thought to be related to abnormal muscle
contractions in the intestines. However, when tests are done,
they find no changes, such as inflammation or tumors, in the
physical structure of the intestine.
IBS can persist for many years. An episode may be more then
severe than the one before it, but the disorder itself does not
worsen over time or lead to any serious diseases such as cancer.
Symptoms tend to get better over time.
If you have not yet been diagnosed with IBS, try to rule out
other causes of stomach problems such as eating a new food,
nervousness, or stomach flu. Try home treatment for 1 to 2
weeks. If there is no improvement of if your symptoms worsen,
make an appointment with your doctor.
Your doctor may prescribe medications for you to take in
addition to doing home treatment. There are no tests that can
diagnose IBS but your doctor may recommend testing to rule out
other possible causes of your symptoms. The amount of testing
your doctor will do depends on your age, the pattern, and
severity of your symptoms, and your response to initial
treatment.
Prevention:
There is no way to prevent IBS. However symptoms often worsen or
improve because of changes in your diet, your stress level, your
medications, the amount of exercise you get, and for other
reasons. Identify the things that trigger your symptoms. This
can help you avoid or minimize attacks.
Home Treatment:
If constipation is your main symptom Eat more fruits,
vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Add fibre rich food to
your diet, but do this slowly so that you do not develop severe
cramps Add unprocessed wheat bran to your diet. Start with 15g
per day then gradually increase to 60g Try a product that
contains a bulk forming agent such as Citrucel, FiberCon, or
Metamucil. Start with 15g a day and drink extra water to prevent
bloating Use laxatives only if your doctor recomends them. Get
active. Increase your physical activity. If diarrhea is your
main symptom Try the dietary suggestions for relieving
constipation. Fibre rich foods and wheat bran can help reduce
diarrhea Avoid foods that make diarrhea worse. Try eliminating
one food at a time then add it back into your diet and see if
symptoms develop. Many people find the following foods or
ingredients make it worse: alcohol caffeine nicotine beans
broccoli cabbage apples spicy foods foods high in acid such as
citrus fruits fatty foods like bacon, sausage, butter, or oil,
dairy products sorbital olestra starchy foods such as bread,
rice or potatoes MSG If diarrhea persists a non prescription
medication such as lopeamide found in Imodium may help. Check
with your doctor if you are using lopeamide more than twice a
month. To reduce stress keep a log of the events in your life
that seem to trigger your symptoms then try to correct the
underlying issues get regular and vigorous exercise When To Call
Your Doctor:
If you have been diagnosed with IBS and your symptoms get worse
and begin to disrupt your usual activities or does not respond
to home treatments If you are becoming increasingly fatigued If
you are symptoms frequently wake you up at night If your pain
gets worse with movement or coughing If you have abdominal pain
and fever If you have abdominal pain that does not get better
when you pass a stool If you are loosing weight and you don't
know why If your appetite has decreased If there is blood in
your stool
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