Irritable Bowel Syndrome – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments!

Irritable Bowel Syndrome – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments that few know. Also, Irritable Bowel Syndrome  is a common disease that affects the large intestine (colon). Irritable Bowel Syndrome often causes cramping , abdominal pain, bloating , gas, diarrhea , and constipation . Irritable  Bowel Syndrome  is a chronic condition that you will need to manage for the long term.

While the signs and symptoms are uncomfortable,  IBS — unlike ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, which are forms of inflammatory bowel disease — doesn’t cause changes in your bowel tissue or increase your risk of colorectal cancer.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Only a small number of people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome have severe signs and symptoms. Some people can manage their symptoms by managing diet, lifestyle, and stress . Others will need medication and counseling.

Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome:  Exactly what causes Irritable Bowel Syndrome is not known , but a variety of factors play a role. The walls of the intestines are lined with layers of muscle that contract and relax in a coordinated rhythm as they move food from your stomach through your intestinal tract to your rectum.

If you have IBS , contractions can be stronger and last longer than usual, causing gas, bloating , and diarrhea . Or the opposite can occur, with weak intestinal contractions slowing the passage of food and leading to hard, dry stools.

Abnormalities in your gastrointestinal nervous system can also play a role, causing you to experience greater than normal discomfort when your abdomen stretches from gas or stool.

Poorly coordinated signals between the brain and intestines can make your body overreact to changes that normally occur in the digestive process. This overreaction can cause pain, diarrhea , or constipation .

Triggers Vary from Person to Person:  Stimuli that do not bother other people can trigger symptoms in people with IBS,  but not all people with the condition react to the same stimuli. Common triggers include:

  • Food: The role of food allergy or intolerance in IBS is still not clearly understood, but many people have more severe symptoms when they eat certain things. A wide variety of foods have been implicated – chocolate, spices, fats , fruits , beans , cabbage , cauliflower , broccoli , milk, carbonated drinks, and alcohol to name a few.
  • Stress: Most people with IBS find that their signs and symptoms are worse or more frequent during times of heightened stress  , such as the final week or the first few weeks at a new job. But while stress can make symptoms worse, it doesn’t cause them.
  • Hormones: As women are twice as likely to have IBS , researchers believe that hormonal changes play a role in this condition. Many women find that the signs and symptoms are worse during or around their menstrual periods.
  • Other illnesses:  Sometimes another illness, such as an acute episode of infectious diarrhea ( gastroenteritis ) or too many bacteria in the intestines (bacterial overgrowth), can trigger Irritable Bowel Syndrome .

Risk Factors:  Many people have occasional signs and symptoms of IBS , but you are more likely to have IBS if you:

  • Are Young:  Irritable Bowel Syndrome tends to occur in people under the age of 45.
  • Are women: Overall, about twice as many women as men have the condition.
  • Having a family history of Irritable Bowel Syndrome:  Studies suggest that people who have a family member with Irritable Bowel Syndrome may be at a higher risk of the condition.
  • Have a mental health problem:  Anxiety , depression , personality disorder, and a history of childhood sexual abuse are all risk factors. For women, domestic abuse can also be a risk factor.
  • The influence of family history on the risk of IBS may be related to genes, shared factors in the family environment, or both.

Symptoms Irritable Bowel Syndrome:  The signs and symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome can vary greatly from person to person and often resemble those of other illnesses. Among the most common are:

  • Abdominal pain or cramps .
  • A swollen feeling.
  • Gas.
  • Diarrhea or constipation – sometimes alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea .
  • Mucus on the bench.
  • For most people, IBS is a chronic condition, although there will likely be times when the signs and symptoms are worse and times when they get better or even go away completely.

When to See a Doctor:  While about 1 in 5 American adults have signs and symptoms of IBS , less than 1 in 5 who have symptoms ask for medical help.

However, it is important to see your doctor if you have a persistent change in bowel habits or if you have other signs or symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome because these could indicate a more serious condition such as colon cancer .

Symptoms that may indicate a more serious condition include:

  • Rectal bleeding.
  • Abdominal pain that progresses or occurs at night.
  • weight loss .
  • Your doctor can help you find ways to relieve symptoms as well as rule out colon conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer . Your doctor can also help you avoid possible complications from problems like chronic diarrhea .

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Treatments:  Because it’s not clear what causes Irritable Bowel Syndrome , treatment focuses on relieving symptoms so you can live as normally as possible. In most cases, you can successfully manage the mild signs and symptoms of IBS by learning to manage stress and making changes to your diet and lifestyle.

Try to avoid foods that trigger your symptoms. Also try to get enough exercise , drink plenty of fluids, and get enough sleep. If your problems are moderate or severe, you may need more than lifestyle changes. Your doctor may suggest medication.

Dietary Changes:  Eliminating foods with high gas content. If you have disturbing bloating or are passing considerable amounts of gas, your doctor may suggest that you cut back on items like carbonated drinks, vegetables — especially cabbage , broccoli , and cauliflower — and raw fruits. Eliminating gluten.

Research shows that some people with IBS report improvement in diarrhea symptoms if they stop eating gluten (wheat, barley, and rye). This recommendation remains controversial and the evidence is unclear.

Some people are sensitive to the types of carbohydrates, such as fructose, fruit, lactose and others, are found in certain grains, vegetables, fruits and dairy products. However, people are often not bothered by all foods. You can get relief from your  Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms  on a strict low FODMAP diet and then reintroduce foods one at a time.

Medications:  Fiber supplements. Taking fiber supplements, such as psyllium (Metamucil) or methylcellulose (Citrucel), with fluids can help manage constipation . Fiber obtained from food can cause much more bloating compared to a fiber supplement.

If fiber doesn’t help symptoms, your doctor may prescribe an osmotic laxative, such as milk of magnesia or polyethylene glycol. Anti-diarrheal drugs. Over-the-counter medications, such as loperamide (Imodium), can help control diarrhea .

Some people will benefit from medications called bile acid binders, such as cholestyramine (Prevalite), colestipol (Colestipol), or colesevelam (Welcome), but these can lead to bloating .

If you have diarrhea and abdominal pain without depression, your doctor may suggest a lower-than-normal dose of tricyclic antidepressants, such as imipramine (Tofranil) or nortriptyline (Pamelor). Side effects of these drugs include drowsiness and constipation . SSRIs such as fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem) or paroxetine (Paxil) may be helpful if you are depressed and have pain and constipation .

Antibiotics: Some people whose symptoms are due to an overgrowth of bacteria in their intestines may benefit from antibiotic treatment. Some people with diarrhea symptoms have benefited from rifaximin (Xifaxan), but more research is needed.

Counseling: You may benefit from counseling if you have depression or if stress tends to make your symptoms worse. Medications specifically for  Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Currently, two drugs are approved for specific cases of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Allosetron (Lotronex). Allosetron is designed to relax the colon and slow down the movement of waste through the lower intestine. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed it from the market for a while, but has since allowed Alosetron to be sold again.

However, alosetron can only be prescribed by physicians enrolled in a special program and is intended for severe cases of diarrhea -predominant IBS in women who have not responded to other treatments.

Allosetron is not approved for use by men. It has been associated with rare but important side effects, so it should only be considered when other treatments are not successful.

Lubiprostone (Amitiza). Lubiprostone works by increasing the secretion of fluid in the small intestine to help pass stool. It is approved for women 18 years and older who have Irritable Bowel Syndrome with constipation .

Its effectiveness in men is not proven, nor is its long-term safety. Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Lubiprostone is usually only prescribed to women with IBS and severe constipation for whom other treatments have not been successful.

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