Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a very common condition but in some ways it is still a mystery. There are many different theories about what causes the syndrome and different doctors will give you different reasons for your illness – anything from stress to bad bacteria to food intolerance. And once you have been diagnosed there is no set form of treatment – instead sufferers tend to try two or three supplements or therapies to find a combination that works for them.
IBS is clearly a complicated issue so here is a basic overview of the symptoms diagnosis and treatment of this disorder.
The symptoms
Although the symptoms of IBS vary from person to person there are several symptoms which are typical of the illness. The most common symptom is either recurring diarrhea or recurring constipation (although some patients also have alternating diarrhea and constipation).
Additional symptoms can include stomach pain (sometimes relieved by a bowel movement) bloating nausea and a lot of gas. These symptoms generally go away for a short time before returning again as IBS can work in cycles. Sufferers may experience a few weeks or even a few months of good health before the symptoms come back.
Sufferers sometimes find that their symptoms begin after a bout of food poisoning or an operation. Others date their symptoms back to a very stressful period in their lives and some patients can see no clear reason for why their symptoms began.
The diagnosis
There is no set test for IBS and it is often called a diagnosis of ‘exclusion’. This means that a doctor may rule out other bowel and stomach complaints such as celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease before giving you a diagnosis of IBS.
Sometimes patients are given a colonoscopy where a tiny camera is inserted into the intestines to look for abnormalities. In an IBS sufferer the colonoscopy won’t detect any physical signs of disease – IBS is often called a ‘functional’ disorder because it seems to be caused by an alteration in the way the body functions rather than an identifiable cause such as inflammation. ...
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