Irritable Bowel Syndrome -IBS
IBS or it's complete name Irritable bowel syndrome is a very common bowel and intestinal disorder, with no known specific cause or cure. An individual may experience a range of symptoms including abdominal cramps and pain, heartburn and a feeling of bloated ness due to trapped wind. Most commonly the individual will also have bouts of constipation followed by diarrhea.
The diarrhea is usually preceded by abdominal cramps and extreme urgency for the toilet and typically occurs shortly after a main meal. In some instances the abdominal pain may be so severe that the individual will pass out. The symptoms of the syndrome are due to a motility disorder of the intestines, where the usual movement of the gut is spasmodic.
The exact cause is still unknown, although it has been linked to stress, over indulgence in rich foods or 'gas-producing' foods for example beans and carbonated drinks. During stressful situations the brain releases hormones to help combat the stress but these also affect the gut (think about all the stressful situations where you've had 'butterflies' in your stomach!).
The brain-gut theory does explain the symptoms for a large number of IBS sufferers, and in this instance, relaxation techniques will help alleviate their symptoms. For other sufferers the cause may be a combination of stress, food allergies, lack of dietary fiber or food intolerance.
In this instance medications may help alleviate the symptoms, however changing the diet maybe the best long-term solution. Avoiding dairy products or not combining high protein foods (for example meat) with carbohydrates (for example potatoes and pasta) in the same meal has had some positive results.
There are no tests to confirm the diagnosis of IBS other than elimination of other conditions with the same symptoms. IBS is not life threatening and does not develop into other serious gastrointestinal disorders.
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