Some people have compared the pain and discomfort they feel in their guts like they are giving birth over and over. Others thought that it was psychological condition, all in the sufferers mind. Now, it’s the most common GI disorder seen by doctors and specialists all over the world. Irritable Bowel Syndrome causes abdominal pain, cramps, gas, diarrhea or constipation, and bloating among other physical and emotional symptoms. It’s treatable, but not curable, and it doesn’t cause damage to your body.
It’s irritable bowl syndrome – abbreviated as IBS – and the gut-wrenching pain that can double over people who suffer from it is not illusion.
Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder that causes almost 20% of Americans serious stomach problems. The symptoms are sometimes so bad that these people are afraid to leave the bathroom or go out of the house because of the pain or the feeling that their stomach is tied in knots. Unlike people with GI tracts that function properly, IBS patients have stool that is runny and frequent, or hard and sporadic. While affecting mostly woman, men also experience IBS, and it the symptoms run rampant and different for everyone.
IBS is a disorder of the intestines that has no physical manifestation. In other words, there are no anatomical reasons for people to be having the pain, yet they do. All doctors know is that the intestines are not working as they should and the colon can contract and bring a grown man to his knees in a matter of second. It is the second leading reason people call off of work. Onset of IBS can start in late adolescence or early adulthood and it hardly ever appears in anyone over the age of fifty. It doe not lead to more serious diseases or problems, something doctors that treat patients with IBS cannot stress enough.
Treatment for irritable bowel syndrome relies on diets that are high in fiber and low in trigger foods, stress reduction, and medication. The problem with this has been that most of the time it will only treat one symptom and not the overarching problem. For a short period of time a drug called Lotronex was on the market and prescribed by doctors to patients – mostly women – who were suffering from severe diarrhea.
It seemed to work but then was subsequently pulled from the pharmacy shelves in November 2000 after reports of deaths started to filter into the Food and Drug Administration, deaths caused by the use of Lotronex. Doctors and researchers are still looking for a drug similar to Lotronex that helped sufferers of IBS but without the drastic side effect.
Doctors have returned to treating irritable bowel syndrome with diet. It is one of three functional disorders that plague many people and shows no signs of physical damage to the gastrointestinal tract. The only explanation that makes any sense is the people with IBS simply have a more sensitive and reactive colon that the rest of the population.
Foods and emotional issues that may not bother one person may set someone with IBS into knife-twisting gut pain. Some medications, milk products, fats, corn, and wheat are all foods that have been know to trigger colon spasms in some people, causing constipation or diarrhea.
Colitis and IBS have been mistaken for one another even though the two conditions are no where close to one another. Colitis is the actual, physical inflammation of the colon. IBS patients do not have swollen colons and it does not cause inflammation. Irritable bowel syndrome is just a sensitive gastrointestinal tract that ranges from the top to the very bottom.
A little known fact about the human body is that the gastrointestinal area has its own independent nervous system that takes care of all the food digesting processes and solid waste elimination. These nerves work on their own accord without having to depend on the brain and they react to different stimuli in different ways. Nervousness and stress, for example, can cause ‘butterflies’ in the stomach even the brain is telling you that you are calm and collected. This system is called the enteric nervous system and in people with irritable bowel syndrome, it’s out of whack. This is why stress reduction may play a big part in alleviating a person’s symptoms.
Not all doctors believe that irritable bowel syndrome should be called a syndrome. Many still think it is all within a patient’s mind and that it is nothing more than a marketing tool to get them to the doctor’s. Of course, anyone suffering from the symptoms of IBS will not take being told this too kindly.
Almost sixty-five percent of people with IBS don’t go to the doctor about it because the symptoms simply aren’t that bad. And it has been found that many women who suffer from IBS have been physically and sexually abused in their lives, making them more sensitive to what their bodies are telling them.
There are others who believe that IBS is caused by bacterial overgrowth in the body. No matter what anyone believes, it is a real syndrome that can be treated when the patient and the doctor work together.
Upon individual evaluation, doctors can prescribe a regimen that will work for their patients. They will evaluate their medical and social histories, stress levels, and current diet. You can help your doctor by identifying the foods you know trigger the pain.
People who are constipated should add exercise to their regimen as physical activity is very important in keeping everything internally running smooth. Unless required, a normal diet without the trigger foods may be all people will need. Some people may need to avoid gas producing foods, like beans and cabbage. Sorbitol, an artificial sweetener, and fructose should be eaten in small amounts.
In addition to diet changes and stress reduction, a doctor may recommend medications that slow the GI tract and keep it from spasming. Antidiarrheal drugs such as Imodium may be prescribed as well as antidepressants, and mild tranquilizers. Some patients have responded favorably to hypnosis and psychotherapy, and behavior modification counseling has also kept people on the track to alleviating their discomfort and getting on with their lives.