Irritable colon symptoms treatment: Irritable bowel syndrome – Symptoms and causes

09.06.197104.08.2021 by alexxlab

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Irritable bowel syndrome – Symptoms and causes

Overview

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder that affects the large intestine. Signs and symptoms include cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea or constipation, or both. IBS is a chronic condition that you’ll need to manage long term.

Only a small number of people with IBS have severe signs and symptoms. Some people can control their symptoms by managing diet, lifestyle and stress. More-severe symptoms can be treated with medication and counseling.

IBS doesn’t cause changes in bowel tissue or increase your risk of colorectal cancer.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of IBS vary but are usually present for a long time. The most common include:

Abdominal pain, cramping or bloating that is related to passing a bowel movement
Changes in appearance of bowel movement
Changes in how often you are having a bowel movement

Other symptoms that are often related include bloating, increased gas or mucus in the stool.

When to see a doctor

See your doctor if you have a persistent change in bowel habits or other signs or symptoms of IBS. They may indicate a more serious condition, such as colon cancer. More-serious signs and symptoms include:

Weight loss
Diarrhea at night
Rectal bleeding
Iron deficiency anemia
Unexplained vomiting
Difficulty swallowing
Persistent pain that isn’t relieved by passing gas or a bowel movement

Causes

The precise cause of IBS isn’t known. Factors that appear to play a role include:

Muscle contractions in the intestine. The walls of the intestines are lined with layers of muscle that contract as they move food through your digestive tract. Contractions that are stronger and last longer than normal can cause gas, bloating and diarrhea. Weak intestinal contractions can slow food passage and lead to hard, dry stools.
Nervous system. Abnormalities in the nerves in your digestive system may cause you to experience greater than normal discomfort when your abdomen stretches from gas or stool. Poorly coordinated signals between the brain and the intestines can cause your body to overreact to changes that normally occur in the digestive process, resulting in pain, diarrhea or constipation.
Severe infection. IBS can develop after a severe bout of diarrhea (gastroenteritis) caused by bacteria or a virus. IBS might also be associated with a surplus of bacteria in the intestines (bacterial overgrowth).
Early life stress. People exposed to stressful events, especially in childhood, tend to have more symptoms of IBS.
Changes in gut microbes. Examples include changes in bacteria, fungi and viruses, which normally reside in the intestines and play a key role in health. Research indicates that the microbes in people with IBS might differ from those in healthy people.

Triggers

Symptoms of IBS can be triggered by:

Food. The role of food allergy or intolerance in IBS isn’t fully understood. A true food allergy rarely causes IBS. But many people have worse IBS symptoms when they eat or drink certain foods or beverages, including wheat, dairy products, citrus fruits, beans, cabbage, milk and carbonated drinks.
Stress. Most people with IBS experience worse or more-frequent signs and symptoms during periods of increased stress. But while stress may aggravate symptoms, it doesn’t cause them.

Risk factors

Many people have occasional signs and symptoms of IBS. But you’re more likely to have the syndrome if you:

Are young. IBS occurs more frequently in people under age 50.
Are female. In the United States, IBS is more common among women. Estrogen therapy before or after menopause also is a risk factor for IBS.
Have a family history of IBS. Genes may play a role, as may shared factors in a family’s environment or a combination of genes and environment.
Have anxiety, depression or other mental health issues. A history of sexual, physical or emotional abuse also might be a risk factor.

Complications

Chronic constipation or diarrhea can cause hemorrhoids.

In addition, IBS is associated with:

Poor quality of life. Many people with moderate to severe IBS report poor quality of life. Research indicates that people with IBS miss three times as many days from work as do those without bowel symptoms.
Mood disorders. Experiencing the signs and symptoms of IBS can lead to depression or anxiety. Depression and anxiety also can make IBS worse.

Irritable bowel syndrome care at Mayo Clinic

Oct. 15, 2020

Show references

Hadjivasilis A, et al. New insights into irritable bowel syndrome: From pathophysiology to treatment. Annals of Gastroenterology. 2019; doi:10.20524/aog.2019.0428.
Irritable bowel syndrome. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/irritable-bowel-syndrome/all-content. Accessed Aug. 28, 2020.
Kellerman RD, et al. Irritable bowel syndrome. In: Conn’s Current Therapy 2020. Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Aug. 28, 2020.
Feldman M, et al. Irritable bowel syndrome. In: Sleisenger and Fordtran’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 11th ed. Elsevier; 2021. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Aug. 28, 2020.
Irritable bowel syndrome. American College of Gastroenterology. https://gi.org/topics/irritable-bowel-syndrome/. Accessed Aug. 28, 2020.
6 tips: IBS and complementary health practices. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/tips/tips-ibs-and-complementary-health-practices. Accessed Aug. 28, 2020.
Irritable bowel syndrome. Canadian Society of Intestinal Research. https://badgut.org/information-centre/a-z-digestive-topics/ibs/. Accessed Aug. 28, 2020.
Brown AY. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic. June 24, 2020.
Kashyap PC (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Sept. 21, 2020.

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, Medications

SOURCES:

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Association.

FDA.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: “Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS),” “Eating, Diet and Nutrition for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.”

theibsnetwork.org: “Is it food intolerance?”

Nature: “Local immune response to food antigens drives meal-induced abdominal pain.”

About IBS/International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: “Living with IBS,” “IBS Patients: Their Illness Experience and Unmet Needs,” “Facts about IBS.”

Reporter’s Guide to Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Second Edition: “Pregnancy and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.”

NHS Choices: “Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).”

Nursing Times: “Irritable Bowel Syndrome.”

Harvard Health Publications: “Constipation and Impaction.”

Mayo Clinic: “Irritable Bowel Syndrome,” “Hemorrhoids,” Overactive bladder.”

Cleveland Clinic: “Gastrointestinal Disorders.”

Primary Health Care Research and Development: “Long-term impact of irritable bowel syndrome: a qualitative study. “

World Journal of Gastroenterology: “Irritable bowel syndrome: Pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment and evidence-based medicine.”

Nutrition Journal: “Diet in irritable bowel syndrome.”

BMC Gastroenterology: “The relationship between irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, chronic fatigue and overactive bladder syndrome: a controlled study 6 years after acute gastrointestinal infection.”

Rehydration Project: “Why is Dehydration So Dangerous?”

UnitedHealthCare: “When to see a doctor for an upset stomach.”

The IBS Network: “When Should I See My Doctor?”

Colitis & Crohn’s Foundation of America: “IBS and IBD: Two Very Different Disorders.”

FamilyDoctor.org: “Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).”

American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons: “Irritable Bowel Syndrome Expanded Version.”

International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: “Changes You Should Not Ignore If You Have IBS.”

UpToDate: “Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome in adults. ”

Irritable Bowel Syndrome: IBS, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Overview

What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a group of symptoms that affect your digestive system. It’s a common but uncomfortable gastrointestinal disorder. People with IBS get excessive gas, abdominal pain and cramps.

What is a functional GI disorder?

IBS is a type of functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder. These conditions, also called disorders of the gut-brain interaction, have to do with problems in how your gut and brain work together.

These problems cause your digestive tract to be very sensitive. They also change how your bowel muscles contract. The result is abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation.

What are the different types of IBS?

Researchers categorize IBS based on the type of bowel movement problems you have. The kind of IBS can affect your treatment. Certain medicines only work for certain types of IBS.

Often, people with IBS have normal bowel movements some days and abnormal ones on other days. The type of IBS you have depends on the abnormal bowel movements you experience:

IBS with constipation (IBS-C): Most of your poop is hard and lumpy.
IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D): Most of your poop is loose and watery.
IBS with mixed bowel habits (IBS-M): You have both hard and lumpy bowel movements and loose and watery movements on the same day.

How does IBS affect my body?

In people with IBS, the colon muscle tends to contract more than in people without the condition. These contractions cause cramps and pain. People with IBS also tend to have a lower pain tolerance. Research has also suggested that people with IBS may have excess bacteria in the GI tract, contributing to symptoms.

What are other names for IBS?

You may hear these names for IBS:

Irritable bowel.
Irritable colon.
Spastic colon.
Nervous stomach, since symptoms often happen when you’re feeling emotional stress, tension and anxiety.

Who is at risk for developing IBS?

The condition most often occurs in people in their late teens to early 40s. Women can be twice as likely than men to get IBS. IBS may happen to multiple family members.

You may be at higher risk if you have:

What triggers IBS?

If you have IBS, you may have noticed that certain things trigger symptoms. Common triggers include some foods and medication. Emotional stress can also be a trigger. Some researchers suggest that IBS is the gut’s response to life’s stressors.

How common is IBS?

Experts estimate that about 10% to 15% of the adult population in the United States have IBS. However, only 5% to 7% receive an IBS diagnosis. It’s the most common disease that gastroenterologists diagnose.

Symptoms and Causes

What are the causes of IBS?

Researchers don’t exactly know what causes IBS. They think a combination of factors can lead to IBS, including:

Dysmotility: Problems with how your GI muscles contract and move food through the GI tract.
Visceral hypersensitivity: Extra-sensitive nerves in the GI tract.
Brain-gut dysfunction: Miscommunication between nerves in the brain and gut.

What are IBS symptoms?

Symptoms of IBS include:

Abdominal pain or cramps, usually in the lower half of the abdomen.
Bloating.
Bowel movements that are harder or looser than usual.
Diarrhea, constipation or alternating between the two.
Excess gas.
Mucus in your poop (may look whitish).

Women with IBS may find that symptoms flare up during their periods. These symptoms often happen again and again, which can make you feel stressed or upset. As you learn management techniques and gain control over flare-ups, you’ll start to feel better, physically and mentally.

Diagnosis and Tests

How is IBS diagnosed?

If you’ve been having uncomfortable GI symptoms, see your healthcare provider. The first step in diagnosing IBS is a medical history and a physical exam. Your provider will ask you about your symptoms:

Do you have pain related to bowel movements?
Do you notice a change in how often you have a bowel movement?
Has there been a change in how your poop looks?
How often do you have symptoms?
When did your symptoms start?
What medicines do you take?
Have you been sick or had a stressful event in your life recently?

Depending on your symptoms, you may need other tests to confirm a diagnosis. Blood tests, stool samples and X-rays can help rule out other diseases that mimic IBS.

Will I need a colonoscopy?

Depending on your symptoms, medical history and other factors, your provider may recommend a flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy to examine your colon in more detail. These two outpatient procedures are similar. The difference is that a sigmoidoscopy examines just the lower half of the colon. A colonoscopy examines the entire colon.

A flexible sigmoidoscopy can help evaluate bowel disorders, rectal bleeding or polyps. Your provider will:

Insert a sigmoidoscope, a long, thin, flexible instrument, into the rectum.
Advance the sigmoidoscope to the colon.
View the lining of the rectum and lower part of the colon.

Here’s what you can expect during a colonoscopy. Your provider will:

Insert the colonoscope through the rectum.
Advance the scope and examine the entire colon.
Remove small amounts of tissue for a biopsy (if necessary).
Identify and remove small growths called polyps (if necessary).

Often, providers can make an accurate diagnosis and even deliver treatment using a colonoscopy. A colonoscopy is a much less invasive procedure compared to an abdominal operation.

Do I need to see a gastroenterologist?

If you have IBS symptoms, first talk to your primary care physician or regular healthcare provider. Your provider may refer you to a gastroenterologist.

A gastroenterologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases of the digestive system, including:

Management and Treatment

What is IBS treatment?

No specific therapy works for everyone, but most people with IBS can find a treatment that works for them. Your healthcare provider will personalize your IBS treatment plan for your needs. Typical treatment options include dietary and lifestyle changes. A dietitian can help you create a diet that fits your life.

Many people find that with these changes, symptoms improve:

Dietary changes:

Increase fiber in your diet — eat more fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts.
Add supplemental fiber to your diet, such as Metamucil® or Citrucel®.
Drink plenty of water — eight 8-ounce glasses per day.
Avoid caffeine (from coffee, chocolate, teas and sodas).
Limit cheese and milk. Lactose intolerance is more common in people with IBS. Make sure to get calcium from other sources, such as broccoli, spinach, salmon or supplements.
Try the low FODMAP diet, an eating plan that can help improve symptoms.

Activity changes:

Exercise regularly.
Don’t smoke.
Try relaxation techniques.
Eat smaller meals more often.
Record the foods you eat so you can figure out which foods trigger IBS flare-ups. Common triggers are red peppers, green onions, red wine, wheat and cow’s milk.

Medical changes:

Your provider may prescribe antidepressant medications if you have depression and anxiety along with significant abdominal pain.
Other medicines can help with diarrhea, constipation or abdominal pain.
Probiotics may be an option for you. These “good bacteria” can help improve symptoms.
Talk to your provider if your symptoms don’t improve. You may need more tests to see if an underlying condition is causing the symptoms.

What happens if medications don’t work?

In some cases, symptoms don’t respond to medical treatment. Your provider may refer you for mental health therapies. Some patients find relief through:

Prevention

Can I prevent IBS?

Since there is no known cause for IBS, you can’t prevent or avoid it. If you have IBS, you can keep symptoms from flaring up by avoiding triggers.

How can I control IBS?

It may be frustrating trying to get a handle on IBS. Treatment can often be trial and error. But the good news is that nearly everyone with IBS can find a treatment that helps them.

Usually, diet and activity changes improve symptoms over time. You may need some patience as you figure out your triggers so you can take steps to avoid them. But after a few weeks or months, you should notice significant improvement in how you feel. A nutritionist can help you plan a healthy, filling diet that meets your needs.

Outlook / Prognosis

If I have IBS, does that mean I’m more likely to develop serious gastrointestinal problems?

No, IBS doesn’t put you at higher risk of developing conditions such as colitis, Crohn’s disease or colon cancer.

Is IBS fatal?

IBS is not life-threatening. Living with this condition can be challenging because it can come and go throughout your life. But there are many ways to manage and live with IBS.

Is there a cure for IBS?

There’s no cure for IBS. The goal of treatment is to control and manage symptoms.

Living With

When should I see a healthcare provider?

See your provider if you have symptoms more than three times a month for more than three months. And if you have symptoms less often, but they interfere with your life, it’s a good idea to talk to your provider.

Some symptoms may point to a more serious problem. Contact your provider as soon as possible if you have:

Bleeding.
Fever.
Weight loss.
Severe pain.

How can I best take care of myself if I have IBS?

IBS will likely be with you for life. But it doesn’t shorten your lifespan, and you won’t need surgery to treat it. To feel your best, try to identify and avoid your triggers, including certain foods, medications and stressful situations. A dietitian can help you plan a nutritious diet around your specific needs. Talk to your healthcare provider if symptoms don’t improve.

What else should I ask my healthcare provider?

If you have IBS symptoms, ask your provider:

Could another condition be causing my symptoms?
What medications can help?
What foods should I avoid?
What other lifestyle changes should I make?
Can a dietitian help me?
Should I see a gastroenterologist?
When will I start to feel better?
Am I at risk for other health conditions?

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Living with irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, can be challenging. IBS symptoms, such as stomach pain, diarrhea, gas and bloating, often interfere with your life. But IBS is manageable. Though there is no cure, you can control and improve symptoms through diet and lifestyle changes. If you have stomach symptoms that aren’t going away, talk to your healthcare provider. Together, you can find an IBS treatment plan that works for you.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome: IBS, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Overview

What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

What is a functional GI disorder?

IBS is a type of functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder. These conditions, also called disorders of the gut-brain interaction, have to do with problems in how your gut and brain work together.

These problems cause your digestive tract to be very sensitive. They also change how your bowel muscles contract. The result is abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation.

What are the different types of IBS?

Researchers categorize IBS based on the type of bowel movement problems you have. The kind of IBS can affect your treatment. Certain medicines only work for certain types of IBS.

Often, people with IBS have normal bowel movements some days and abnormal ones on other days. The type of IBS you have depends on the abnormal bowel movements you experience:

IBS with constipation (IBS-C): Most of your poop is hard and lumpy.
IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D): Most of your poop is loose and watery.
IBS with mixed bowel habits (IBS-M): You have both hard and lumpy bowel movements and loose and watery movements on the same day.

How does IBS affect my body?

What are other names for IBS?

You may hear these names for IBS:

Irritable bowel.
Irritable colon.
Spastic colon.
Nervous stomach, since symptoms often happen when you’re feeling emotional stress, tension and anxiety.

Who is at risk for developing IBS?

The condition most often occurs in people in their late teens to early 40s. Women can be twice as likely than men to get IBS. IBS may happen to multiple family members.

You may be at higher risk if you have:

What triggers IBS?

How common is IBS?

Symptoms and Causes

What are the causes of IBS?

Researchers don’t exactly know what causes IBS. They think a combination of factors can lead to IBS, including:

Dysmotility: Problems with how your GI muscles contract and move food through the GI tract.
Visceral hypersensitivity: Extra-sensitive nerves in the GI tract.
Brain-gut dysfunction: Miscommunication between nerves in the brain and gut.

What are IBS symptoms?

Symptoms of IBS include:

Abdominal pain or cramps, usually in the lower half of the abdomen.
Bloating.
Bowel movements that are harder or looser than usual.
Diarrhea, constipation or alternating between the two.
Excess gas.
Mucus in your poop (may look whitish).

Diagnosis and Tests

How is IBS diagnosed?

Do you have pain related to bowel movements?
Do you notice a change in how often you have a bowel movement?
Has there been a change in how your poop looks?
How often do you have symptoms?
When did your symptoms start?
What medicines do you take?
Have you been sick or had a stressful event in your life recently?

Depending on your symptoms, you may need other tests to confirm a diagnosis. Blood tests, stool samples and X-rays can help rule out other diseases that mimic IBS.

Will I need a colonoscopy?

A flexible sigmoidoscopy can help evaluate bowel disorders, rectal bleeding or polyps. Your provider will:

Insert a sigmoidoscope, a long, thin, flexible instrument, into the rectum.
Advance the sigmoidoscope to the colon.
View the lining of the rectum and lower part of the colon.

Here’s what you can expect during a colonoscopy. Your provider will:

Insert the colonoscope through the rectum.
Advance the scope and examine the entire colon.
Remove small amounts of tissue for a biopsy (if necessary).
Identify and remove small growths called polyps (if necessary).

Often, providers can make an accurate diagnosis and even deliver treatment using a colonoscopy. A colonoscopy is a much less invasive procedure compared to an abdominal operation.

Do I need to see a gastroenterologist?

If you have IBS symptoms, first talk to your primary care physician or regular healthcare provider. Your provider may refer you to a gastroenterologist.

A gastroenterologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases of the digestive system, including:

Management and Treatment

What is IBS treatment?

Many people find that with these changes, symptoms improve:

Dietary changes:

Increase fiber in your diet — eat more fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts.
Add supplemental fiber to your diet, such as Metamucil® or Citrucel®.
Drink plenty of water — eight 8-ounce glasses per day.
Avoid caffeine (from coffee, chocolate, teas and sodas).
Limit cheese and milk. Lactose intolerance is more common in people with IBS. Make sure to get calcium from other sources, such as broccoli, spinach, salmon or supplements.
Try the low FODMAP diet, an eating plan that can help improve symptoms.

Activity changes:

Exercise regularly.
Don’t smoke.
Try relaxation techniques.
Eat smaller meals more often.
Record the foods you eat so you can figure out which foods trigger IBS flare-ups. Common triggers are red peppers, green onions, red wine, wheat and cow’s milk.

Medical changes:

Your provider may prescribe antidepressant medications if you have depression and anxiety along with significant abdominal pain.
Other medicines can help with diarrhea, constipation or abdominal pain.
Probiotics may be an option for you. These “good bacteria” can help improve symptoms.
Talk to your provider if your symptoms don’t improve. You may need more tests to see if an underlying condition is causing the symptoms.

What happens if medications don’t work?

In some cases, symptoms don’t respond to medical treatment. Your provider may refer you for mental health therapies. Some patients find relief through:

Prevention

Can I prevent IBS?

Since there is no known cause for IBS, you can’t prevent or avoid it. If you have IBS, you can keep symptoms from flaring up by avoiding triggers.

How can I control IBS?

It may be frustrating trying to get a handle on IBS. Treatment can often be trial and error. But the good news is that nearly everyone with IBS can find a treatment that helps them.

Outlook / Prognosis

If I have IBS, does that mean I’m more likely to develop serious gastrointestinal problems?

No, IBS doesn’t put you at higher risk of developing conditions such as colitis, Crohn’s disease or colon cancer.

Is IBS fatal?

IBS is not life-threatening. Living with this condition can be challenging because it can come and go throughout your life. But there are many ways to manage and live with IBS.

Is there a cure for IBS?

There’s no cure for IBS. The goal of treatment is to control and manage symptoms.

Living With

When should I see a healthcare provider?

Some symptoms may point to a more serious problem. Contact your provider as soon as possible if you have:

Bleeding.
Fever.
Weight loss.
Severe pain.

How can I best take care of myself if I have IBS?

What else should I ask my healthcare provider?

If you have IBS symptoms, ask your provider:

Could another condition be causing my symptoms?
What medications can help?
What foods should I avoid?
What other lifestyle changes should I make?
Can a dietitian help me?
Should I see a gastroenterologist?
When will I start to feel better?
Am I at risk for other health conditions?

A note from Cleveland Clinic

10 IBS Triggers, Symptoms,Causes, Diet & Treatment

REFERENCES:

“Irritable Bowel Syndrome.” American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. 2015. <https://www.fascrs.org/patients/disease-condition/irritable-bowel-syndrome-0>.

Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. “IBS and IBD: Two Very Different Disorders.” Published June 2012.
<http://www.ccfa.org/resources/ibs-and-ibd-two-very.html>

Dalton, Christine B., and Douglas A. Drossman. “The Use of Antidepressants in the Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Other Functional GI Disorders. ” UNC Center for Functional GI & Motility Disorders. <https://www.med.unc.edu/ibs/files/educational-gi-handouts/IBS%20and%20Antidepressants.pdf>.

El-Salhy, M. “Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Diagnosis and Pathogenesis.” World J Gastroenterol
18.37 Oct. 7, 2012: 5151-5163.

Lehrer, J., MD. “Irritable Bowel Syndrome.” Medscape. Updated Oct 10, 2016.
<http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/180389-overview>

International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders. About IBS.

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. “Eating, Diet, and Nutrition for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.” Updated: Fe 23, 2015.
<https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/digestive-diseases/irritable-bowel-syndrome/Pages/eating-diet-nutrition.aspx>

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. “Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).”
<https://www. niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/digestive-diseases/irritable-bowel-syndrome/Pages/overview.aspx>

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. “Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.” February 2015.
<https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/irritable-bowel-syndrome/eating-diet-nutrition>

Novak, K. A Serologic Test for Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Other News from ACG. Gastroenterology. Oct 21, 2013.

Owens, D.M., et al. “The Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Long-Term Prognosis and the
Physician-Patient Interaction.” Ann Intern Med. 122.2 Jan. 1995: 107-112.

Pimentel, M., et al. Development and Validation of a Biomarker for Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Human Subjects. Published: May 13, 2015.

Rahimi, Roja, Shekoufeh Nikfar, Ali Rezaie, and Mohammad Abdollahi. “Efficacy of Tricyclic Antidepressants in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis. ” World J Gastroenterol 15.13 Apr. 7 2009: 1548-1553.

Reid, Amy. “12 Home Remedies For Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Ibs).” July, 21 2015.
<http://olwomen.com/home-remedies-for-irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs/>

Rezaie, A., et al. Assessment of Anti-vinculin and Anti-cytolethal Distending Toxin B Antibodies in Subtypes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Dig Dis Sci. 2017 Jun;62(6):1480-1485.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. “Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.” February 2015.
<https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/irritable-bowel-syndrome/treatment>

Tuteja, Ashok K., Nicholas J. Talley, Sandra K. Joos, and David H. Hickam. “Overlap of functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome in a community sample.” American Journal of Gastroenterology 98, S272 Sept. 2003. <http://www.nature.com/ajg/journal/v98/n9s/full/ajg20031460a.html>.

United States. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. “Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Children.” June 2014. <http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/digestive-diseases/ibs-in-children/Pages/facts.aspx>

United States. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. “Symptoms and Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.” <http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/digestive-diseases/irritable-bowel-syndrome/Pages/symptoms-causes.aspx>.

University of Maryland Medical Center. “Irritable Bowel Syndrome.” Jan. 11, 2014. <http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/irritable-bowel-syndrome>.

Wald, Arnold. “Patient Information: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Beyond the Basics).” UpToDate.com. Feb. 2016. <http://www.uptodate.com/contents/irritable-bowel-syndrome-beyond-the-basics>.

Walters, Julian R.F. “Managing Bile Acid Diarrhoea.” Therap Adv Gastroenterol 3. 6 Nov. 2010: 349-357. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3002596/>.

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<http://www.uptodate.com/contents/pathophysiology-of-irritable-bowel-syndrome>

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) | Michigan Medicine

Topic Overview

What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of the intestines. It causes belly pain, cramping or bloating, and diarrhea or constipation. IBS is a long-term problem, but there are things you can do to reduce your symptoms.

Your symptoms may be worse or better from day to day, but your IBS will not get worse over time. IBS doesn’t cause more serious diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease or cancer.

What causes IBS?

It isn’t clear what causes irritable bowel syndrome. The cause may be different for different people. IBS may be caused by problems with the way signals are sent between the brain and the digestive tract, problems digesting certain foods, and stress or anxiety. People with IBS may have unusually sensitive intestines or problems with the way the muscles of the intestines move.

For some people with IBS, certain foods, stress, hormonal changes, and some antibiotics may trigger pain and other symptoms.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are belly pain with constipation or diarrhea. Other common symptoms are bloating, mucus in the stools, and a feeling that you have not completely emptied your bowels.

Many people with IBS go back and forth between having constipation and having diarrhea. For most people, one of these happens more often than the other.

IBS is quite common, but most people’s symptoms are so mild that they never see a doctor for treatment. Some people may have troublesome symptoms, especially stomach cramps, bloating, and diarrhea.

Because there are no structural problems in the intestines of people who have IBS, some people may think this means that the symptoms “are all in their head.” This isn’t true. The pain, discomfort, and bloating are real.

How is IBS diagnosed?

Most of the time, doctors can diagnose irritable bowel syndrome from the symptoms. Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and past health and will do a physical exam.

In some cases, you may need other tests, such as stool analysis or blood tests. These tests can help your doctor rule out other problems that might be causing your symptoms.

How is it treated?

Treatment usually includes making changes in your diet and lifestyle, such as avoiding foods that trigger your symptoms, getting regular exercise, and managing your stress.

If diet and lifestyle changes don’t help enough on their own, your doctor may prescribe medicines for symptoms such as pain, diarrhea, or constipation.

Cause

The exact cause of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) isn’t known. But health experts believe that faulty communication between the brain and the intestinal tract is one cause of symptoms. In some people, this miscommunication causes abnormal muscle contractions or spasms, which often cause cramping pain. The spasms may speed the passage of stool, causing diarrhea. Or they may slow it down, causing constipation or bloating.

Many people who have IBS seem to have unusually sensitive intestines. It isn’t known why their intestines are more likely to react strongly to the elements that contribute to IBS. People who have IBS may start having symptoms because of one or more factors, including:

Eating (though no particular foods have been linked with IBS).
Stress and psychological issues, such as anxiety and depression.
Hormonal changes, such as during the menstrual cycle.
Some medicines, such as antibiotics.
An infection in the digestive tract, such as salmonella.
Genetics. IBS may be more likely to occur in people who have a family history of the disorder.

Symptoms

Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome include:

Changes in bowel movement patterns.
Bloating and excess gas.
Pain the lower belly.
Mucus in stools.

You are more likely to have IBS if you have these symptoms and they have lasted at least 6 months, you have had belly pain at least 3 days each month for at least 3 months, and at least two of the following are true:^{footnote 1}

The pain is relieved by having a bowel movement.
The pain is linked to a change in how often you have a bowel movement.
The pain is linked to a change in the appearance or consistency of your stool.

Bowel movement patterns

When you have IBS, your pattern of bowel movements may be different over time. Two or more of the following may happen:

Bowel movements may occur either more often (diarrhea) or less often (constipation) than usual. For example, you may have more than 3 bowel movements a day or less than 3 a week.
Bowel movements may differ in size or consistency. They may be hard and small, pencil-thin, or loose and watery.
The way stools pass changes. You may strain, feel an urgent need to have a bowel movement, or feel that you haven’t completely passed a stool.
You may have bloating or a feeling of gas in the intestines.

Other intestinal symptoms

Some people may have pain in the lower belly with constipation that is sometimes followed by diarrhea. Other people have pain and mild constipation but no diarrhea.

Some people have intestinal gas and passage of mucus in stools.

Nongastrointestinal symptoms

You may sometimes have other symptoms that don’t affect the intestines, such as:

Anxiety or depression.
Fatigue.
Headache.
An unpleasant taste in the mouth.
Backache.
Sleep problems (insomnia) not caused by symptoms of IBS.
Sexual problems, such as pain during sex or reduced sexual desire.
Heart palpitations. (You may feel like your heart skips a beat or is fluttering.)
Urinary symptoms. (You may have a frequent or urgent need to urinate, trouble starting the urine stream, or trouble emptying your bladder.)

Symptoms often occur after a meal, during stressful times, or during menstruation.

There are many other conditions with symptoms similar to IBS.

What Happens

Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may last for a long time. But IBS doesn’t cause cancer or shorten your life.

The pattern of IBS varies from one person to the next and from one bout to the next. Some people have symptoms off and on for many years. You may go months or years without having any symptoms. But most people have symptoms that keep coming back. It is rare for a person to have symptoms constantly.

Between 7 and 10 out of 100 people in the world have irritable bowel syndrome.^{footnote 2} But most people with IBS don’t see a doctor about their symptoms.

What Increases Your Risk

IBS tends to be more common in:

People in their late 20s.
Women.
People who have panic disorder or other psychological conditions.
People who have a family history of IBS.
People who have a history of physical or sexual abuse or other psychological trauma. Several studies have found a link between a past history of abuse and gastrointestinal disorders.^{footnote 3}
People who have other conditions such as depression, migraine headaches, and fibromyalgia.

When should you call your doctor?

Call your doctor if:

You have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and your symptoms get worse, begin to disrupt your activities, or don’t respond as usual to your home treatment.
You are more tired than usual.
Your symptoms wake you from sleep.
You have unexplained weight loss.
You have decreased appetite.
You have belly pain that is not linked with changes in bowel function or that is not relieved when you pass gas or a stool.
You have belly pain that is now in one area (localized) more than any other area.
You see blood in your stool.
You have a fever.

Watchful waiting

Watchful waiting is a wait-and-see approach.

If your symptoms are mild, it might be okay to try home treatment for 1 week or longer. If you think you may have IBS, try to rule out other causes of belly problems, such as eating a new food; eating sugar-rich foods, especially milk products; eating foods containing sorbitol or other artificial sweeteners; nervousness; or stomach flu. If your symptoms don’t get better or if they get worse, call your doctor.

Who to see

The following health professionals can diagnose and treat irritable bowel syndrome.

If more tests are needed or your symptoms don’t respond to treatment, it may be helpful to see a doctor who specializes in treating digestive system problems (gastroenterologist). If stress may be playing a role in IBS, it may be helpful to see a psychiatrist or psychologist.

Exams and Tests

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can be diagnosed based on symptoms. A doctor diagnoses IBS when a person has the typical symptoms of the disorder and, if needed, tests have ruled out other possible causes.

Most people won’t need tests, but some people may because of their age and symptoms. The amount of testing you get depends on several things: your age, how your symptoms come on and how severe they are, and how you respond to your first treatment. For example, a 20-year-old might not need tests. But a 50-year-old with new symptoms might need tests because of the higher risk of colon cancer in people over 50.

Tests may include:

Thyroid function tests and other tests, such as colonoscopy, are sometimes done.

Treatment Overview

Treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) will depend on the types of symptoms you have, how severe they are, and how they affect your daily life. No single type of treatment works best for everyone.

Learn all you can about IBS so that you and your doctor can work together to find out what may be triggering your symptoms. You will need to adapt your lifestyle to best deal with your symptoms and still carry on with your daily activities. Let your doctor know if parts of your treatment aren’t helping your symptoms.

Record your symptoms

The first step in treating IBS usually involves watching and recording your symptoms, your bowel habits, what you eat, and other daily activities (such as exercise) that affect your symptoms. Writing all this down in a notebook for a few weeks can help you and your doctor see patterns of symptoms in your daily life. You may be able to see what things make your symptoms worse (such as eating dairy products) and start to avoid them.

Manage your symptoms

For some people who have IBS, certain foods may trigger symptoms. These tips may help prevent or relieve some IBS symptoms:

Limit caffeine and alcohol.
Limit your intake of fatty foods.
If diarrhea is your main symptom, limit dairy products, fruit, and artificial sweeteners such as sorbitol or xylitol.
Increase fiber in your diet to help relieve constipation.
Avoid foods such as beans, cabbage, or uncooked cauliflower or broccoli to help relieve bloating or gas.

Here are some other steps you can take to help your symptoms:

Get some exercise, such as swimming, jogging, cycling, or walking. It can also improve your quality of life (especially how well you sleep, your energy level, and your emotional and social life).^{footnote 4}
Quit smoking, if you smoke.
Take medicines. You may need medicine for cramping, diarrhea or constipation, depression, or anxiety.
Reduce stress, if stress seems to trigger symptoms.

To learn more, see Home Treatment.

Watch for new symptoms

Because IBS is a long-term problem, it’s important for you to be aware of big changes in symptoms. For example, watch for blood in your stools, increased pain, severe fever, or unexplained weight loss. If any of these occur, your doctor may want to do more tests to find out if there is another cause for your symptoms.

Your doctor may also want you to try different medicines, or different dosages of your current medicines, if your symptoms aren’t responding to treatment.

Prevention

You can’t prevent irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). But proper self-care may help ease symptoms and may extend the time between episodes. Self-care includes quitting smoking, avoiding caffeine and foods that make symptoms worse, and getting regular exercise.

Home Treatment

For most people who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), home treatment may be the best way to manage the symptoms. It is also helpful to learn all you can about IBS so you can better share your concerns and questions with your doctor.

Careful attention to diet, exercise, and stress management should help keep your symptoms under control. They may even prevent your symptoms from coming back.

Diet

In many people who have IBS, eating may trigger symptoms. But for most people, there is not a certain type of food that triggers symptoms.

Increasing the amount of fiber in your diet can help control constipation. High-fiber foods include fresh fruits (raspberries, pears, apples), fresh vegetables (carrots, leafy greens), wheat bran, and whole-grain breads and cereals. Beans such as kidney, pinto, and garbanzo are also high-fiber foods. (So are vegetables such as peas, cabbage, and broccoli.) But they should probably be avoided if gas is one of your symptoms.

If you have trouble getting enough fiber in your diet, you can take a fiber supplement such as psyllium (for example, Metamucil) or wheat dextrin (for example, Benefiber). If you take a fiber supplement, read and follow all instructions on the label. Also, make sure to drink plenty of fluids, enough so that your urine is light yellow or clear like water.

You can take steps to make it less likely that certain foods will cause symptoms. For example, avoid or limit gas-producing foods (including beans and cabbage), sugarless chewing gum and candy, caffeine, and alcohol.

Exercise

Getting more exercise can make your symptoms less severe. Exercise also can improve your quality of life (especially how well you sleep, your energy level, and your emotional and social life).^{footnote 5}

Getting more exercise doesn’t have to be hard. In one study, people with IBS increased their activity level by adding 20 to 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity, 3 to 5 days a week. They did activities such as swimming, jogging, cycling, and walking.

In the group that did not increase their activity level, more people had an increase in their IBS symptoms. These people weren’t active, and their symptoms got worse.^{footnote 5}

Stress

If stress seems to trigger your symptoms, these tips may help you better manage stress and avoid or ease some IBS episodes:

Keep a diary or journal of your symptoms as well as life events that occur with them. This often helps clarify the connection between symptoms and stressful occasions. After you have identified certain events or situations that bring on symptoms, you can find ways to deal with these situations.
Get regular, vigorous exercise (such as swimming, jogging, or brisk walking) to help reduce tension.
A hobby or an outside activity can provide a break from stressful situations.
Find a support group. In a support group, you can share with other people who have IBS.
Psychiatrists, psychologists, hypnotists, counselors, social workers, and biofeedback specialists can provide methods for coping with stress.

Medications

Medicine may be used along with lifestyle changes to manage symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It may be prescribed to treat moderate to severe pain, diarrhea, or constipation that does not respond to home treatment.

Medicine can help relieve your symptoms enough to prevent them from interfering with your daily activities. It may not be possible to eliminate your symptoms.

In most cases, the choice of medicine is based on your most troublesome symptom. For example, if diarrhea is the most bothersome symptom, using antidiarrheals or anticholinergics may be helpful.

Few medicines have proved consistently helpful, and all medicines have side effects. So medicine should be used for specific symptoms that disrupt your normal daily activities.

If you also have another illness, such as depression, that triggers symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, medicine for that illness may be needed.

Diarrhea medicines

Medicines that may be used to treat severe diarrhea that does not improve with home treatment include:

Antidiarrheals, including atropine and diphenoxylate (such as Lomotil) and loperamide (such as Imodium).
Bile acid binding agents, including cholestyramine (such as Prevalite).
Rifaximin (Xifaxan), which has been shown to help people who have diarrhea and bloating as their worst symptoms. Rifaximin can be taken for 14 days. People who have symptoms again can be retreated for 14 days. This can be done one more time if needed.^{footnote 6}
Alosetron (Lotronex), which is used for some women who have severe diarrhea. This medicine has been shown to contribute to ischemic bowel disease. Specific guidelines for the use of alosetron require doctors who prescribe it to sign a certificate and patients to sign a consent form.

Constipation medicines

There are many medicines for severe constipation that doesn’t improve with home treatment. Most of these medicines are available without a prescription and are okay to take once in a while. Check with your doctor before you use any of these medicines every day for constipation. Medicines for constipation include:

Osmotic laxatives (such as Milk of Magnesia and nonabsorbable sugars such as lactulose).
Polyethylene glycol (such as MiraLax).
Stimulant laxatives (such as Senokot).
Linaclotide (Linzess).
Lubiprostone (Amitiza).

Pain and cramping

The following medicines may be used for long-term pain and cramping:

Anticholinergics (antispasmodics). These include dicyclomine (Bentyl).
Antidepressants, including desipramine (such as Norpramin). In low doses, they can help with pain caused by IBS.

Depression

The following medicines may be used if your IBS causes you to have anxiety or depression:

Antidepressants, including fluoxetine (such as Prozac). They are especially helpful if you have depression and IBS.
Antianxiety agents, including diazepam (such as Valium). These can be used short-term to help with anxiety if it makes your IBS symptoms worse.

Other Treatment

A wide range of other treatments can be used to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Psychological treatment

Some kinds of psychological treatment may help with IBS symptoms. These treatments include cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, and hypnosis.^{footnote 7}

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
Stopping negative thoughts with CBT has been shown to help with IBS symptoms.^{footnote 7}
- People who practiced thinking positively using CBT reduced their IBS symptoms, anxiety, and negative thoughts and improved their quality of life compared to people who practiced stress management exercises.^{footnote 8}
- In another study that compared mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) to a support group, people who practiced MBSR had a much greater reduction in their IBS symptoms, even 3 months after the study ended.^{footnote 9}
Psychotherapy. Psychotherapy and psychological therapy have been shown to help people who have IBS more than doing nothing.^{footnote 7}
Hypnosis.
Hypnosis has also been shown to help with IBS symptoms.^{footnote 7}

Other psychological treatments that are sometimes used for IBS include relaxation therapy, meditation, and biofeedback.

People who have IBS are more likely than people without the condition to have depression, panic disorder, or other psychological conditions.^{footnote 10} Acknowledging these factors may help you and your doctor successfully manage your condition.

Complementary treatment

IBS is different for each person, and no medicines have been proved to work really well for IBS. So people often try alternative or complementary treatments. Some of these treatments have been studied, and some have not.

Herbal therapies, such as Ayurvedic medicine and Chinese herbal medicine, may improve the symptoms of IBS. This has been shown in many studies of herbal therapy for IBS.^{footnote 11}
Acupuncture is used as a treatment for IBS. But how well it works to treat IBS is still unknown.^{footnote 12}
Peppermint oil has also been used to treat IBS. Studies have shown that peppermint oil works to improve IBS symptoms by preventing cramps and spasms in the intestines.^{footnote 7}
Aloe is commonly used for IBS, especially IBS with constipation. There is currently no evidence for the use of aloe as an effective treatment for IBS.
Ginger has been used to treat nausea. It has been studied as a treatment for nausea caused by seasickness and surgery. It isn’t known how well ginger helps in IBS.
Helpful bacteria, called probiotics, may help with IBS symptoms.

References

Citations
Longstreth GF, et al. (2006). Irritable bowel syndrome section of Functional bowel disorders. In DA Drossman et al., eds., Rome III: The Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, 3rd ed., pp. 490–509. McLean, VA: Degnon Associates.
American College of Gastroenterology (2009). An evidence-based position statement on the management of irritable bowel syndrome. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 104(Suppl 1): S1–S7.
Tack J (2006). Irritable bowel syndrome. In MM Wolfe et al., eds., Therapy of Digestive Disorders, 2nd ed., pp. 701–710. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.
Johannesson E, et al. (2011). Physical activity improves symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome: A randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 106(5): 915–922.
Johannesson E, et al. (2011). Physical activity improves symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome: A randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 106(5): 915–922.
Pimentel M, et al. (2011). Rifaximin therapy for patients with irritable bowel syndrome without constipation. New England Journal of Medicine, 364(1): 22–32.
American College of Gastroenterology (2009). An evidence-based systematic review on the management of irritable bowel syndrome. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 104(Suppl 1): S8–S35.
Ljótsson B, et al. (2011). Internet-delivered exposure-based treatment vs. stress management for irritable bowel syndrome: A randomized trial. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 106(8): 1481–1491.
Gaylord SA, et al. (2011). Mindfulness training reduces the severity of irritable bowel syndrome in women: Results of a randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 106(9): 1678–1688.
Longstreth GF, et al. (2006). Irritable bowel syndrome section of Functional bowel disorders. In DA Drossman et al., eds., Rome III: The Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, 3rd ed., pp. 490–509. McLean, VA: Degnon Associates.
Liu JP, et al. (2006). Herbal medicines for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (1). Oxford: Update Software.
Lim B, et al. (2006). Acupuncture for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (4). Oxford: Update Software.
Guglielmetti S, et al. (2011). Randomised clinical trial: Bifidobacterium bifidum MIMBb75 significantly alleviates irritable bowel syndrome and improves quality of life—A double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 33(10): 1123–1132.
Other Works Consulted
Chang I, et al. (2005). A dose-ranging, phase II study of the efficacy and safety of alosetron in men with diarrhea-predominant IBS. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 100(1): 115–123.
Ford AC, et al. (2008). Effect of fibre, antispasmodics, and peppermint oil in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: Systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. Published online November 13, 2008 (doi:10.1136/bmj.a2313).
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) (2008). Irritable bowel syndrome in adults: Diagnosis and management of irritable bowel syndrome in primary care. London: National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Available online: http://www.nice.org.uk/CG061fullguideline.
Spanier JA, et al., (2003). A systematic review of alternative therapies in the irritable bowel syndrome. Archives of Internal Medicine, 163: 265–274.
Talley NJ (2010). Irritable bowel syndrome. In M Feldman et al., eds., Sleisenger and Fordtran’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease, 9th ed., vol. 2, pp. 2091–2104. Philadelphia: Saunders.

Credits

Current as of:
April 15, 2020

Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
E. Gregory Thompson MD – Internal Medicine
Adam Husney MD – Family Medicine

Longstreth GF, et al. (2006). Irritable bowel syndrome section of Functional bowel disorders. In DA Drossman et al., eds., Rome III: The Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, 3rd ed., pp. 490-509. McLean, VA: Degnon Associates.

American College of Gastroenterology (2009). An evidence-based position statement on the management of irritable bowel syndrome. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 104(Suppl 1): S1-S7.

Tack J (2006). Irritable bowel syndrome. In MM Wolfe et al., eds., Therapy of Digestive Disorders, 2nd ed., pp. 701-710. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.

Johannesson E, et al. (2011). Physical activity improves symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome: A randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 106(5): 915-922.

Pimentel M, et al. (2011). Rifaximin therapy for patients with irritable bowel syndrome without constipation. New England Journal of Medicine, 364(1): 22-32.

American College of Gastroenterology (2009). An evidence-based systematic review on the management of irritable bowel syndrome. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 104(Suppl 1): S8-S35.

Ljótsson B, et al. (2011). Internet-delivered exposure-based treatment vs. stress management for irritable bowel syndrome: A randomized trial. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 106(8): 1481-1491.

Gaylord SA, et al. (2011). Mindfulness training reduces the severity of irritable bowel syndrome in women: Results of a randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 106(9): 1678-1688.

Liu JP, et al. (2006). Herbal medicines for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (1). Oxford: Update Software.

Lim B, et al. (2006). Acupuncture for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (4). Oxford: Update Software.

Guglielmetti S, et al. (2011). Randomised clinical trial: Bifidobacterium bifidum MIMBb75 significantly alleviates irritable bowel syndrome and improves quality of life-A double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 33(10): 1123-1132.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may not cause any harm to your body but it sometimes causes a lot of discomfort. It isn’t known what causes IBS. The symptoms can range from mild to severe. There is no cure for IBS but some simple lifestyle changes and treatments usually make the symptoms much better.

What is it and who gets it?

What is IBS?

Dr Sarah Jarvis MBE

IBS is common. It is thought to affect about 1 in 5 people in the UK at some time in their lives. In IBS, the function of the gut is upset, yet all parts of the gut look normal, even when looked at under a microscope. IBS can affect anyone at any age but it most often first develops in young adults. Women are affected more often than men.

What are the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome?

The symptoms of IBS vary from person to person.

They include:

Pain and discomfort which may occur in different parts of the tummy (abdomen). Pain usually comes and goes. The length and severity of each bout of pain can vary greatly. The pain often eases when you pass stools (faeces) or wind. Many people with IBS describe the pain as a spasm or colic.
Bloating and swelling of your tummy which may develop from time to time. You may pass more wind than usual.
Changes in stools:

Some people have bouts of diarrhoea, some have bouts of constipation and some get a combination of both.
The stools may become small and pellet-like. Sometimes the stools become watery or more loose. At times, mucus may be mixed with the stools.
There may be a feeling of not emptying the back passage (rectum) after going to the toilet.
Some people have urgency, which means they have to get to the toilet quickly. You may feel an urgent need to go to the toilet several times shortly after getting up.

Is your poo normal?

Concerns should be raised if the bowel habit changes significantly from what is ‘normal’ for an individual, particularly if the frequency increases and the stool becomes looser, if there is blood visible on wiping or mixed in with the stool, or if it is associated with abdominal pain or weight loss.
— Dr Adam Haycock, What does your poo say about you?

Other symptoms which sometimes occur – these include:

Some people have occasional mild symptoms. Others have unpleasant symptoms for long periods. Many people fall somewhere in between, with flare-ups of symptoms from time to time. Some doctors group people with IBS into one of three categories:

Those with abdominal pain or discomfort, and the other symptoms are mainly bloating and constipation.
Those with abdominal pain or discomfort, and the other symptoms are mainly urgency to get to the toilet, and diarrhoea.
Those who alternate between constipation and diarrhoea.

However, in practice, many people will not fall neatly into any one category, and considerable overlap occurs.

Note: remember that passing blood is not a symptom of IBS. You should tell a doctor if you pass blood.

What causes irritable bowel syndrome?

Exactly what IBS is isn’t known. It may have something to do with overactivity of part or parts of the gut (bowel).

Food is passed along the bowel by regular squeezes (contractions) of the muscles in the wall of the bowel wall. Pain and other symptoms may develop if the contractions become abnormal or overactive. The area of overactivity in the gut may determine exactly where you feel the pain and whether constipation or diarrhoea develops.

The cause of overactivity in parts of the gut is not clear. One or more of the following may play a part:

Overactivity of the nerves or muscles of the gut. It is not known why this may occur. It may have something to do with overactivity of messages sent from the brain to the gut. Stress or emotional upset may play a role. About half of people with IBS can relate the start of symptoms to a stressful event in their lives. Symptoms tend to become worse during times of stress or anxiety.
Intolerance to certain foods may play a part in some cases. However, this is thought to be only in a small number of cases.
Infection and germs (bacteria) in the gut. IBS is not caused by an ongoing gut infection. However, in some cases, the onset of symptoms seems to follow a bout of a gut infection with diarrhoea and being sick (vomiting), called gastroenteritis. So, perhaps a virus or other germ may sensitise or trigger the gut in some way to cause persisting symptoms of IBS.
Oversensitivity to pain. People with IBS feel more pain when their gut is expanded (dilated) than those without IBS. They may have a lower threshold for experiencing pain from the gut.

How is irritable bowel syndrome diagnosed?

There is no test that confirms the diagnosis of IBS. A doctor can usually diagnose IBS from the typical symptoms.

Your doctor will check that there is nothing else going on. Usually this will include an examination of your tummy (abdomen) and back passage (rectum) and some simple tests.

A blood test and stool (faeces) test are often taken to help rule out other conditions (see below). The tests that are often considered to rule out these conditions include:

Full blood count (FBC) – to rule out lack of iron in the blood (anaemia), which is associated with various gut (bowel) disorders.
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) or C-reactive protein (CRP) – which can show if there is inflammation in the body (which does not occur with IBS).
A blood test for coeliac disease.
In women, a blood test to rule out cancer of the ovary, called CA 125.
A stool test to look for a protein called faecal calprotectin. This may be present if you have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, but is not present in IBS. A stool test may also be used to check whether you have any bleeding from your bowel.

More complicated tests such as gastroscopy or colonoscopy (to look into the bowel with a special telescope) are not usually needed. However, they may be done if symptoms are not typical, or if you develop symptoms of IBS in later life (over the age of about 50) when other conditions need to be ruled out.

What else could it be?

Some conditions produce symptoms which can be confused with IBS. These include:

How is irritable bowel syndrome treated?

There are many different treatments that may be tried for IBS. All will have an effect on some people, but none will help in every person with IBS.

Many people with mild IBS symptoms don’t need any treatment. No treatment is likely to take away symptoms completely; however, treatment can often ease symptoms and improve your quality of life.

What lifestyle changes can help?

Exercise. Regular exercise is known to help to ease symptoms.
Managing stress levels. Stress and other emotional factors may trigger symptoms in some people. So, anything that can reduce your level of stress or emotional upset may help.
Keeping a symptom diary. It may help to keep a food and lifestyle diary for 2-4 weeks to monitor symptoms and activities. Note everything that you eat and drink, times that you were stressed, and when you took any formal exercise. This may identify triggers, such as a food, alcohol, or emotional stresses, and may show if exercise helps to ease or to prevent symptoms.

What dietary changes can help?

Some people with IBS find that certain foods can trigger symptoms or make symptoms worse. See the separate leaflet called IBS Diet Sheet for more details.

IBS Management Options

Each treatment option for IBS has various benefits, risks and consequences. In collaboration with health.org.uk, we’ve put together a summary decision aid that encourages patients and doctors to discuss and assess what’s available.

Irritable bowel syndrome medication

Medications

Antispasmodic medicines for tummy (abdominal) pain
These are medicines that relax the muscles in the wall of the gut. There are several types of antispasmodics – for example, alverine citrate, mebeverine, hyoscine and peppermint oil. The pain may ease with medication but may not go away completely.

Treating constipation
Constipation is sometimes a main symptom of IBS. If so, it may help if you increase the fibre in your diet. Sometimes laxatives are advised for short periods if increasing fibre is not enough to ease a troublesome bout of constipation. It is best to avoid lactulose if you have IBS.

A medicine called linaclotide works in a completely different way to other medicines for treating constipation. It has been shown to reduce pain, bloating and constipation symptoms.

Treating diarrhoea
An antidiarrhoeal medicine (for example, loperamide) may be useful if diarrhoea is a main symptom. The dose of loperamide needed to control diarrhoea varies considerably. Eluxadoline is another option which has become available to treat adults who have IBS with diarrhoea. It is only used if the condition has not responded to other medicines or they are contra-indicated or not tolerated, and it is started by a specialist. Eluxadoline should be stopped after four weeks if there isn’t much improvement of symptoms. The most common side-effects are nausea, constipation and abdominal pain.

Treating bloating
Peppermint oil may help with bloating and wind. For some people peppermint oil also helps with tummy (abdominal) pains and spasms.

Antidepressant medicines
A tricyclic antidepressant is sometimes used to treat IBS. An example is amitriptyline. Tricyclic antidepressants are used in a variety of painful conditions, including IBS. SSRI antidepressant medicines (for example, fluoxetine) can also be used for IBS. They may work by affecting the way you feel pain.

Alternative irritable bowel syndrome treatments

Psychological therapies

Any stressful situation (for example, family problems, work stress, examinations) may trigger symptoms of IBS in some people. Examples of psychological therapies are cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), hypnotherapy and psychotherapy. Psychological therapies can be very effective for some people with IBS.

What is the outlook (prognosis)?

IBS usually causes symptoms long-term and often stays with you for the rest of your life. However, the symptoms tend to come and go. You may have long spells without any symptoms, or may have only mild symptoms. Treatment can often help to ease symptoms when they flare up. IBS often improves with time and, in some cases, symptoms clear up for good at some stage.

90,000 Irritable Bowel Syndrome – Diagnosis, Symptoms and Treatment from EMC

Gastroenterologist Nikita Novozhilov tells

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a functional disorder that is associated with chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and bowel problems. At the same time, there are no organic reasons for these violations.

Symptoms

IBS is detected in people of different ages, sex, race, lifestyle and place of residence.Basically, patients are worried about discomfort (discomfort) and abdominal pain, alternating constipation and diarrhea. With a thorough examination, organic pathology is not detected, but despite the recommended treatment with drugs of different classes, the patient is still worried about intestinal disturbances. A typical symptom is an intense urge to use the toilet shortly after a meal, and relief of symptoms after going to the toilet.

According to the latest data, symptoms can be related to both disorders in the small intestine and undiagnosed infectious and immune pathologies.

Reasons

According to recent, but already outdated concepts, psychosomatics lay at the heart of any IBS – a dysregulation of the activity of the central and autonomic nervous systems and a related disruption of the gastrointestinal tract. It was believed that under the influence of stress, psychoemotional stress, an inadequate production of chemicals occurs that regulate the motor and evacuation function of the intestine. In addition, the receptor sensitivity threshold changes, and a person feels severe abdominal pain, for example, with excessive gas formation, although in a normal, healthy state, he most likely would not feel it.These causes can indeed cause IBS, but there are others.

The concept of medicine in the 20th century was to find one factor, one cause and one mechanism to give one treatment, one pill – the so-called “golden bullet” concept, or the theory of a single pathogen. Today it has become clear that this does not work for most diseases, especially chronic ones.

According to today’s views, there are not so many cases of IBS left to the share of psychosomatics proper. Another thing is important: almost any chronic disease of the digestive tract causes an upset of the emotional sphere.For this, there are anatomical prerequisites associated with the location and operation of the vagus nerve, and functional, associated with the fact that the center of emotions and the control center of the gastrointestinal tract function in close connection.

Today we are witnessing the formation of the concept of multifactorial diseases. In a multidimensional coordinate system along different axes, we postpone environmental factors, nutritional factors, infectious factors, genetic factors, and constitutional and emotional characteristics – and, like a wind rose, we form a patient profile, which allows us to determine which factors are the main ones in the patient. , and which are secondary.This is what an individual approach and personalized medicine is all about. This is what is important when working with IBS patients.

Diagnostics

Until now, in the diagnostic criteria for IBS, it is written that the diagnosis of IBS can be made if during colonoscopy (examination of the large intestine) no structural pathology is detected and if there is no infection. It’s time to add a few items to this.

Enzymes of the small intestine and their deficiency. Enzymes are located on the wall of the small intestine and break down small carbohydrates into molecules that can be absorbed by the small intestine.If the epithelium of the small intestine does not work well, then undigested foods “dump” into the large intestine, and there they begin to ferment under the influence of normal microflora, thereby causing IBS symptoms.
Immune diseases of the small intestine that are not visible on colonoscopy, namely microscopic colitis, which can only be diagnosed with a biopsy.

How does it look in real life? The patient complains of chronic diarrhea.Diagnosis of intestinal infections, especially their protracted and chronic course, in reality is not always carried out properly. In addition, it is difficult to suspect microscopic colitis based on clinical characteristics. And if a patient with a preliminary diagnosis of IBS is sent for a colonoscopy, then if a pathology of the small intestine is suspected, it is necessary to prescribe a colon biopsy for a whole group of diseases. However, to date, routine multiple biopsy is not part of the standard colonoscopy protocol in any country.

With the help of a biopsy, it is possible to evaluate anything that looks good “by eye”, but does not look microscopically correct. Exclude eosinophilic enteritis and colitis, microscopic colitis and other more rare diseases.

There is also a test for food intolerance “Immunohels”. If in a patient with IBS symptoms we excluded all possible pathology (microscopic colitis, infections, parasites, lactase deficiency, etc.), treated what “lies on the surface”, but the symptoms still remain, then in such a group of patients, Immunohels can be used …This can sometimes help, however, from an evidence-based perspective, the true role of the IgG4 anti-food antibodies panels has not been determined.

So, to diagnose IBS, we use colonoscopy, intestinal biopsy, diet analysis, because some foods can also cause IBS. But nevertheless, the exact list of examinations is assigned individually for each patient.

Thus, more and more positions are included in the differential diagnosis of IBS, and the doctor’s task is not to write in the diagnosis “IBS” and release the patient with stereotyped recommendations, but to exclude and cure other possible conditions, as well as explain to the patient , which most likely occurs in the patient’s abdomen.

Treatment

Patients with IBS need treatment, which is prescribed jointly by a gastroenterologist, coloproctologist, and neuropsychiatrist.

In the process of treating patients with IBS, a whole range of measures can be used to relieve pain, normalize stools, and correct the psycho-emotional state. The patient may be offered to undergo a course of drug treatment that helps to normalize the contractile function of the intestine, restore the nervous regulation of the gastrointestinal tract and affect the violation of the microflora of the colon.Recommendations for the treatment of IBS also include changes in lifestyle and strict adherence to diet (the choice of food products depends on the type of IBS and is aimed at eliminating hypovitaminosis, normalizing electrolyte balance, and eliminating the deficiency of micro- and macronutrients). The correct diet for IBS is an important condition for improving well-being and further preventing the development of the disease. Changes in the diet are the first thing we try to draw the patient’s attention to. A healthy lifestyle – a low-fat diet, exercise, and avoiding alcohol and cigarettes – make a significant contribution to the success of treatment.For patients who require a special diet, following the Low-FODMAP diet will bring significant relief.

Individual selection of the diet is carried out either according to disorders of digestive mechanics, or according to the immunological profile. Low-FoodMap diet, according to its mechanism, acts not on the large intestine, but on the small intestine: it excludes foods that are obviously poorly digested and, therefore, ferment in the large intestine.

Often the symptom complex of irritable bowel is not a bowel disease as such.The patient comes with intestinal symptoms, and objectively, during examination or retrospective analysis, we reveal motor disorders of the stomach or gallbladder, which subjectively do not bother the patient, but disrupt the algorithm for digesting food. It turns out that we should prescribe therapy for the stomach to a patient with intestinal problems. This does not fit into clinical guidelines, but from the point of view of the physiology of the gastrointestinal tract and the mechanics of digestion, this approach works successfully.

Thus, treatment of IBS is not a treatment of IBS, but a treatment of the patient, long-term and strategic, where, as in a war, strategy prevails over tactics.Of course, we solve short-term problems of the patient, but, in essence, the goal is to change the disturbed stereotypes of the gastrointestinal tract, “train” him to behave differently. At the same time, as in any training, the time factor plays an important role: the creation of a “conditioned reflex” according to IP Pavlov requires a period of at least 2 months.

In previous years, medical ideas about IBS were that “everything comes from the head”, patients with IBS “invented” everything for themselves, somatized their non-corporeal problems.So it is, or not, it is still difficult to objectively prove, because there is no verified methodology. But there is already an understanding that the density of receptors is changing, the flow of nerve impulses, both descending and ascending, along the “intestine-brain” axis, increases. The focus of internal attention is shifted to the intestinal receptors, in other words, if you think for a long time about what is happening in the abdomen, then, following the increase in the flow of downward impulses, the stream of upward impulses will increase, as a result, the so-called visceral hypersensitivity syndrome will form – when the usual events in the intestine are perceived by the central parts of the nervous system as pain or pathology.

In this situation, the task of a psychiatrist is, on the one hand, to break the pathologically excessive flow of nerve impulses with the help of pharmacological drugs, so that the stomach functions for some time by itself, and the head itself. These drugs have side effects and are not always easy to tolerate. On the other hand, behavioral psychotherapy has been developed, when the psychotherapist determines the stereotypes of the patient’s behavior and helps the patient to look at it from the outside.After a series of meetings, the patient realizes that what he came with is no longer disturbing. The focus of the patient’s attention changes, followed by the flow of nerve impulses, some problem becomes irrelevant, some, on the contrary, is actualized. The principle of dominant works – behavior is determined by one dominant motivation. If a person has a focus of attention in the stomach, he will direct all his actions to the stomach. And the circle closes: “I feel bad because my stomach hurts, and my stomach hurts because I feel bad.”Behavioral psychotherapy makes it possible to break this vicious circle at the level of the patient’s focus of attention and changing behavioral stereotypes.

The FODMAP diet has an evidence base, cognitive behavioral therapy has an evidence base, and prokinetics also have an evidence base. Skillfully combining these instruments for treatment, the doctor collects an individual mosaic – he makes up a treatment program that is unique for each patient.

Preparations

In the treatment of functional diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, prokinetics, enzyme preparations, antispasmodics are used.But in essence, the main thing is the treatment strategy. The task of the medical team is to develop an individual treatment strategy for each case. How does this happen? We take a drug that has a certain therapeutic effect, for example, stimulates some receptors. The pharmacological effect itself is very short. Next, we create a temporary connection between the effect and the scenario of food digestion. There are also workouts, for example, creating a scenario for going to the toilet. The effect is fixed in time. Concomitant medications are prescribed that improve well-being.The patient develops something like a conditioned reflex and positive reinforcement: he drank a pill – he got good digestion – he felt good.

The magic of gastroenterology lies in the fact that the drugs for treatment are approximately the same for everyone, but the success of treatment depends on how to collect them.

Potential consequences

According to statistics, functional bowel diseases do not lead to serious consequences and life-threatening conditions. One of the doctor’s tasks is to explain what is happening and why nothing terrible is happening, to relieve the patient’s anxiety (rational psychotherapy).

If the physiology of digestion is disturbed, then even the most correct diet will not be properly absorbed in the intestines. This can lead to nutrient deficiencies.

However, IBS has social implications. The IBS symptom complex can so dominate social life that people quit their jobs, their family relationships deteriorate. Young patients (and IBS patients, as a rule, are young) cannot establish social contacts, communication suffers, – the social consequences are much more severe than medical ones.

The prognosis of IBS is, first of all, the prognosis of the disease that lies behind the IBS. That is why at EMC we take a careful approach to the diagnosis of each patient.

Prevention

1 – Competent and scrupulous treatment of intestinal infections. 25% of patients begin to suffer from IBS after intestinal infections, even in the long term.

2 – Rational antibiotic therapy. Thorough revision of indications for antibiotic therapy. For example, if antibiotic therapy is planned for some kind of dental pathology, and we know that the patient simultaneously has an ENT pathology, and also, for example, Helicobacter pylori, then instead of three courses of antibiotics, we collect a single antibiotic therapy regimen.

There is an evidence base on the use of probiotics after intestinal infections or a course of antibiotics. Probiotics have been shown to reduce the risk of re-attack of intestinal infection and antibiotic-associated colitis. According to statistics, more than 25% of IBS cases begin after an infection. This may be due not so much to problems of the gut itself as to a disorder of the microbial landscape. Accordingly, in order for the microbiota to suffer less, it is necessary to use probiotics after such one-time events.Probiotics cannot cure IBS – there is no such evidence yet.

Prebiotics “feed” our normal flora and ensure stable growth in the long term.

3 – Food hygiene. This means that while eating, you should not be distracted by gadgets, you should not solve important issues while eating, so that this does not violate the digestive stereotype.

4 – Work and rest mode. It is important that the adaptive capacity of the body and the response to stress are not changed.

90,000 Irritable Bowel Syndrome | ChUZ “KB” Russian Railways-Medicine “them. ON THE. Semashko “

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort associated with changes in the frequency and nature of bowel movements and has manifested itself at least 3 days a month over the past 3 months.

Symptoms of IBS can be :

1. Recurrent (and not constant) pains in the abdomen, along the intestines, ameliorating after bowel movements or passing gas, no nighttime symptoms.Other symptoms may occur that are not necessary – bloating, rumbling in the abdomen, flatulence.

2. Changes in stool frequency (less than 3 times a week or more than 3 times a day), changes in stool character (lumpy / hard or liquid / watery). There may be an alternation of constipation and diarrhea.

3. Often, patients note straining during bowel movements , a feeling of incomplete emptying of the intestines, mucus in the feces, bloating.

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The average age of IBS patients is 24-41 years. The appearance of the above symptoms, for the first time, in patients 90,045 over 60 years old , creates the need to exclude organic intestinal diseases: colorectal cancer, diverticulosis, polyposis, ischemic colitis, etc.

IBS in most countries of the world is more common among women (ratio of women to men 2: 1). The reasons for this pathology can be different: in a number of patients there is a genetic predisposition to the development of functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, provoked by environmental factors, for example, psycho-emotional overload, stressful situations (troubles at work, in the family, loss of loved ones), in other IBS is a complication of the transferred infectious process in the intestine (salmonellosis, shigellosis).

Treating IBS patients is challenging. This is due to a variety of factors leading to the development of the disease, frequently occurring disorders of the psychoemotional sphere, the presence in most cases of concomitant diseases of the digestive system, which necessitates the simultaneous administration of several drugs. This difficult task is being successfully solved in our department. A full diagnostic examination of patients is carried out, including blood, urine, feces, esophagogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy with biopsy (if necessary). Patients receive a wide range of therapeutic measures : dietary nutrition, combined drug therapy, including the most modern drugs, if necessary, physiotherapeutic procedures, herbal medicine are prescribed.

90,000 Irritable bowel syndrome – causes and treatment of IBS, drugs, diet, prevention

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is included in the ICD and is extremely widespread: according to average estimates, one fifth of the world’s population suffers from the disease.

There are no specific symptoms that make it possible to accurately diagnose this disease, so most patients either try to find the causes of discomfort in organic defects, or do not consider themselves sick.

The disease is systemic in nature and delivers a lot of unpleasant sensations to those who have encountered it: various eating disorders, dyspeptic phenomena, functional abnormalities in the work of the gastrointestinal tract are obligatory companions of this disease.

Modern medicine believes that at the heart of the development of functional pathology, it is not so much organic anomalies that play a role as lifestyle factors: disturbances in the regime, stress, and malnutrition.

Accordingly, when prescribing treatment, first of all, regime moments, diet and lifestyle will be taken into account.

What is IBS?

The cause of irritable bowel syndrome in adults is a functional disorder of the digestive system, manifested in pain, flatulence, diarrhea or, conversely, constipation and arising without previous organic pathologies (developmental abnormalities, tumor lesions, etc.).etc.).

Since there are no organic lesions in this condition, it is reversible and disappears without a trace if the root cause is eliminated.

At the same time, disorders of the normal functions of the gastrointestinal tract (primarily motility) do not exist in isolation: the syndrome is accompanied by dyskinesias throughout the entire tract, the process involves the large and small intestines, duodenum, all parts of the stomach and esophagus. Against the background of IBS, duodenal reflux develops – the reflux of bile from the duodenum into the pyloric part of the stomach, and GEBR (gastroesophageal reflux disease) – the reflux of fluid from the stomach into the esophagus.Both diseases can lead to serious consequences: as a result of the irritating action of digestive juices, the gastrointestinal mucosa becomes inflamed and injured, which provokes the gradual development of gastritis, esophagitis and, finally, ulcers.

Both children and adults are susceptible to IBS, but more often the disease is diagnosed in people over 20 years old, in women more often than in men.

Reasons

Among the most likely causes of this kind of disorder, gastroenterologists call:

Neurological: depression, stress, anxiety, insomnia
Social: insufficient or unbalanced nutrition (fatty foods, lack of dietary fiber, strong teas, coffee, broths), overeating, lack of a normal daily routine, sufficient physical activity (weak muscles of the anterior abdominal wall), chronic fatigue
Biological: imbalance in the intestinal bacterial flora – lack of lactobacilli, excess putrefactive microflora, frequent infections.Sometimes the process is triggered by a previous OCI (acute intestinal infection)
Hormonal disorders in women are one of the causes of the disease – it was noted that exacerbations of IBS were associated with the phases of the menstrual cycle
Hereditary: IBS in a parent increases the likelihood of developing it in a child

Irritable bowel symptoms

There are three main forms of the disease, which are characterized by the following complexes of symptoms:

IBS with a predominance of diarrhea – manifested by frequent urge to use the toilet, especially after or during meals, pain along the intestines, loose stools several times a day, which can alternate with constipation.Often the pathology is accompanied by a feeling of incomplete emptying, tenesmus
IBS with constipation – the patient has an irregular stool, with delays of up to a week. Regular stools can be of the character of “sheep feces”, contain impurities of mucus and even droplets of fresh blood (if the mucous membrane of the colon is damaged by sharp fecal stones). May also present with distal bowel pain
IBS with flatulence – the patient is worried mainly about bloating, heaviness and distention, frequent passing of gases.Shortness of breath and tachycardia are the result of the constantly elevated state of the dome of the diaphragm, which puts pressure on the overlying organs. In such patients, reflux develops more often than in other forms. Stool can maintain normal consistency and regularity

Signs that should alert

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and its treatment are not costly or overwhelming, but patient discipline and regularity.If you notice the symptoms in time and consult a doctor, you can avoid the serious consequences that develop when IBS goes into a chronic form.

A doctor diagnoses irritable bowel syndrome and starts treating it if at least two of the following symptoms are present:

Persistent change in the nature of the stool and the act of defecation (urgency, incomplete emptying)
Permanent bloating
Presence of mucus in feces
Intensification of symptoms during or immediately after eating or drinking

But since these symptoms are characteristic of a number of pathological processes, it is important not to miss a serious illness.Irritable bowel syndrome is not characterized by:

Rapid weight loss
Rectal bleeding
Severe pain during bowel movements
Increase in body temperature to high values
Onset of symptoms in an elderly person

When joining at least one of these symptoms, it is necessary to consult a specialist as soon as possible.

Diagnostics

Since IBS often masks more serious pathologies, effective treatment of irritable bowel syndrome is possible only after a complete examination.It will include the following laboratory and instrumental methods:

Clinical blood test – will help to establish the presence of allergic reactions (for differential diagnosis with lactose intolerance or celiac disease, additional specific tests can be performed), inflammatory processes (which can be indirectly judged by an increase in ESR and leukocyte count), anemia (with a reduced level of hemoglobin and / or erythrocytes)
Coprological analysis (composition of feces) – will help determine the degree of digestion of food, the presence of fat with steatorrhea or blood in case of damage to the gastrointestinal tract
Bacteriological analysis of feces – will show the quantitative ratio of bacteria in the intestine, the presence of pathogenic microflora
Endoscopic examinations – FGDS (fibrogastroduodenoscopy) and colonoscopy (endoscopy of the colon mucosa) – will give an idea of the state of the gastrointestinal mucosa, help to exclude neoplasms, ulcers, cracks
Intestinal fluoroscopy – Examination of the intestinal tube from the outside for anatomical defects and functional impairment

Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome in adults

As with all lifestyle diseases, the causes and treatment of irritable bowel syndrome will be inextricably linked: the basis of therapy will be the correction of diet, work and rest, and the achievement of psychological balance.It should be remembered that medications are only an auxiliary link during an exacerbation and without another component of therapy, their effect will not last for a long time.

Drug therapy:

Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea. Treatment will consist of normalizing peristalsis with astringent and coating agents, as well as medications that reduce the activity of intestinal motility
Irritable bowel syndrome with constipation.Treatment of constipation is carried out, depending on its severity, with mild herbal preparations, laxatives based on lactulose or saline solutions of osmotic action. The goal of therapy is to increase peristalsis in order to accelerate the movement of feces
Irritable bowel syndrome with flatulence. Treatment includes carminative agents and drugs that normalize peristalsis – antispasmodics, prokinetics. In the presence of an imbalance of microflora or pathogenic bacteria, bacterial preparations and antibiotics are prescribed
For severe depression, neurasthenia, increased excitability and anxiety, sedatives or antidepressants are prescribed

An irritable bowel syndrome diet will be a powerful tool for drug therapy:

The inclusion of large amounts of vegetables in boiled, steamed or baked form will enrich the diet with missing dietary fiber, which is very important for IBS with constipation
For diarrhea, eating slimy rice, avoiding coarse vegetables, cereals and whole milk will help slow down emptying
Eliminating muffins, sugar, grapes and fresh vegetables from the diet will help solve the problem with flatulence

A detailed diet, taking into account the individual needs and characteristics of the disease, will be prescribed by a gastroenterologist or nutritionist.

Forecast

With the transition of the process into a chronic form, over time, such diseases and conditions may develop:

Gastritis, esophagitis, GEBR
Duodenitis, gastroduodenal reflux
Cholecystitis
Pancreatitis
Enterocolitis, spastic intestinal obstruction, hemorrhoids
Ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract mucosa of any location

With constant functional irritation of the gastrointestinal mucosa, all digestive organs are gradually involved in the process.

However, timely diagnosis and treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, followed by adherence to regimens and the prescribed diet, avoids such complications.

Prevention

Treatment and nutrition for irritable bowel syndrome are closely related. Timely intake of moderate food (not smoked, not spicy, not fried), quitting smoking, and a reasonable approach to drinking alcohol will help prevent illness. A strict daily regimen and mandatory physical activity at least twice a week (especially on the abdominal area), as well as daily walks and a positive attitude will significantly reduce the risk of getting sick.

Advantages of the procedure in MEDSI:

Reception of leading gastroenterologists and nutritionists in Moscow
Comprehensive examination in the clinic: all types of research necessary for the diagnosis of IBS
Innovative low-dose fluoroscopy units
Own laboratory
Feedback with a specialist during treatment, timely correction of prescriptions

It is easy to sign up for a consultation – just call 8 (495) 7-800-500 (calls are accepted around the clock).

Irritable bowel syndrome / Diseases / Clinic EXPERT

Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome

Treatment of IBS is a kind of “program” for correcting lifestyle and nutrition, physical activity, selection of drugs and non-drug methods of exposure.

Changing the mode of work and rest, normalizing night sleep, combating stress factors is an important point in the treatment of IBS.

The increase in symptoms after a meal indicates the important role of dietary changes.It is recommended to limit caffeinated drinks (they are stimulants of intestinal motility), carbonated drinks, fresh fruits (not prohibited, but their number is limited). Additionally, as directed by your doctor, you can use a diet that restricts certain poorly absorbed carbohydrates that can contribute to bloating and loose stools (low FODMAP diet). It is important to remember that an increase in IBS symptoms with food intake does not always indicate food intolerance, usually this is a consequence of an increased sensitivity of the intestinal receptors to irritation.You should not severely limit the diet, this very often leads to loss of body weight and the appearance of nutritional deficiencies.

Moderate physical activity (walking, fitness, slow running, cycling, swimming) significantly improves the general well-being of patients with IBS, and if constipation predominates, it can be an additional factor for stool stimulation.

Drug therapy includes the appointment of drugs that reduce spasm (antispasmodics), laxatives in patients with constipation, loperamide and other drugs to reduce diarrhea, as well as auxiliary agents (non-absorbable antibiotics, probiotics).

The ineffectiveness of the above drugs is usually an indication for the prescription of antidepressants by a psychotherapist. The drugs of this group are highly effective in the treatment of patients with IBS, since they directly affect the main mechanism of the development of the disease – an increased sensitivity of intestinal receptors to stretching. Often, the prescription of antidepressants is combined with non-drug psychotherapy, which increases the effectiveness of treatment.

Irritable bowel syndrome: symptoms, treatment

Are you suffering from abdominal pain, cramps and persistent stool disturbances? Unpleasant sensations in the intestinal area can ruin all plans, so we use various drugs to relieve abdominal discomfort.But these measures can only temporarily get rid of the symptoms of a serious illness, which come back again and again. What if these symptoms have a single cause – irritable bowel syndrome? What this disease is, what are its signs and how to cure it, we will tell you in this article.

What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

This is a bowel disorder and abdominal discomfort during bowel movements. The syndrome itself is not a disease, but rather a collection of symptoms that often occur for an unknown reason.Unfortunately, such a disorder can significantly reduce the quality of a person’s life, forcing him to stay in an uncomfortable state: digestion is disturbed, metabolic processes in the body deteriorate, and the saturation of the human body with nutrients decreases.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a very common occurrence among people between the ages of 25 and 40. Statistics show that at least once in their life, every third person experienced unpleasant symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Self-medication in this case can be very dangerous to health. The fact is that the syndrome is treated comprehensively and under the close attention of the attending physician. The consequence of self-medication can be intestinal obstruction and numerous chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. With the first signs of irritable bowel syndrome, it is worth contacting a therapist, who will refer you to a narrower specialist – a gastroenterologist. The diagnosis is usually made only after the exclusion of tumors, inflammatory changes in the intestine.

In the intestines, the process of digesting food and receiving nutrients by the body takes place. When food enters the intestines, it travels along the intestines. This progression process is achieved through the work of smooth muscle cells in the intestinal wall. The cells alternately contract and relax. But when IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) appears, the work of cells is disrupted. Food begins to pass through the intestines either too quickly or too slowly.The result is discomfort and constipation or diarrhea.

Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome

nausea and the presence of a gag reflex;
flatulence with profuse gas evolution;

90,029 abdominal pain or cramps;

persistent bloating;

90,029 stool disorders – constipation or diarrhea;

90,029 cuts in the lower abdomen;

sleep disturbance;
increased heart rate;
increased fatigue;
long digestion of food;
the appearance of mucus in the feces;
false urge to defecate;
loss of appetite.

Also, the disease is often accompanied by symptoms that at first glance are not typical of intestinal pathologies: headaches, discomfort in the spine and muscles, weight loss and abdominal swelling. All these symptoms are not permanent, they can disappear, and reappear with the passage of time. Unpleasant sensations most often appear after each meal, and then become less pronounced.

Reasons for the development of a pathological phenomenon

Food.Eating fried, salty, sweet and fatty foods, as well as alcohol containing beverages, negatively affects digestion. In addition, modern man is constantly snacking on the run. That also has a negative effect on the bowel function.
Hormonal failure. More often, this reason is characteristic of women during such periods of life as carrying a child, breastfeeding, menopause, and the menstrual cycle. As for the menstrual cycle – during this period, the amount of chemicals changes, and the problem begins to manifest itself more clearly.
Intestinal motility disorders. If the motor skills are working at an accelerated rate, it leads to indigestion and diarrhea. In contrast, slowed bowel motility can cause constipation. As a result, the painful sensations lead to a sharp contraction of the muscles.
Emotional stress: stress, depression, anxiety, fatigue.
Past diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Infections that cause diseases of the gastrointestinal tract can subsequently affect the functioning of the entire intestine.

Diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome

If you have all of the above symptoms of the disease, see a physician. He will conduct an initial examination and refer you to a gastroenterologist. The purpose of primary diagnostics is to exclude the presence of other life-threatening diseases: tumors, inflammatory processes, growths, infectious diseases.

At the doctor’s appointment, you must provide a complete medical history, report the presence and frequency of symptoms, tell about the presence of chronic diseases.After examination and palpation (feeling), the specialist will refer you to laboratory tests, including:

Complete blood count. The analysis allows you to determine if there is an inflammatory process in the body, as well as to establish possible anemia.
General urine analysis. Determines the presence or absence of blood and parasites in the patient’s body, which allows us to talk about the development of a number of intestinal diseases, other than irritable bowel syndrome.
Blood test for celiac disease.A specific blood test that allows you to identify a disease of the digestive system (celiac disease), in which the intestines cease to normally digest incoming food, which is accompanied by diarrhea.
Colonoscopy. This is an examination of the colon from the inside using a special apparatus (colonoscope).
Magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvic area and abdomen. This is a non-invasive examination method that allows you to study the structure and condition of the pelvic organs and tissues in men and women using magnetic waves.

After all the studies have been carried out and all other bowel diseases have been excluded, the doctor proceeds to treatment and prescribes complex therapy, based on the patient’s medical history.

Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome

IBS therapy should be performed in a complex manner in several stages. The treatment regimen depends on the individual characteristics of the organism, the degree and duration of the pathology. Most often, drug therapy is prescribed, which is complemented by a special diet.In the absence of comprehensive treatment, symptoms will reappear from time to time.

Medicines that the doctor prescribes for the treatment of IBS not only eliminate painful symptoms, but also improve the condition of the digestive system, as well as prevent relapses and complications. When treating diarrhea syndrome, medications with antimicrobial properties are prescribed. They relieve irritation of the intestinal tissues, stop excess flatulence and restore normal bowel function.

In the treatment of IBS with constipation, the use of natural medicines is shown that eliminate the difficulties with defecation, gently affect the inflamed intestinal tissue and relieve it of feces. May be in the form of chewable tablets or rectal suppositories.

If the appearance of IBS is associated with neurological disorders, antidepressants are prescribed – they normalize the functioning of the nervous system, improve the psycho-emotional state.

Pain relievers and antispasmodics are used to relieve pain – they relax muscle fibers and tissues that are in hypertonicity.

Diet for irritable bowel syndrome

The diet for IBS depends on what symptoms accompany the pathology. With frequent constipation, dry, salty foods should be excluded from the diet. With diarrhea, liquid dishes, vegetables, fruits are excluded.

If you are tormented by flatulence, you should limit dairy products, nuts, and beans.With severe pain in the intestines, fatty, salty, heavy foods are not allowed.

At the Medyunion clinic you can undergo a complete examination and treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. We employ medical practitioners with over 10 years of experience. In the diagnostic room, you can pass all tests and undergo hardware examination in a comfortable environment. For our clients there is a special offer “doctor at home”. If you are unable to visit our medical center on your own, a doctor will come to you and conduct an examination at home.

Take care of your health and make an appointment at the Medyunion multidisciplinary medical center right on our website.

Irritable bowel syndrome: diet, treatment, symptoms

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a functional bowel disorder in which the patient experiences pain and discomfort during bowel movements. The disease is manifested by dyspeptic symptoms: flatulence, diarrhea, constipation.The most susceptible to IBS are people between the ages of 20 and 40, but sometimes a child is also diagnosed.

Reasons

– Malnutrition: overeating, skipping meals, frequent consumption of fast food, semi-finished products and fatty foods adversely affects the work of the digestive tract.

– Stress: Frequent exposure to stressful situations and inability to work with emotions are the main triggers of the disease.

Complications

IBS does not lead to organic pathologies in the digestive system, but only causes functional disorders.Therefore, the disease cannot lead to life-threatening complications.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of the syndrome consists in excluding other pathological conditions with similar symptoms. For this, laboratory and instrumental research methods are used:

Treatment

Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic condition, so its treatment is to eliminate symptoms and achieve remission.Due to the close connection between the brain and intestines, when the nervous system is disturbed in a patient in stressful situations, this disease will always recur. But it is possible to ensure that a person feels comfortable and can lead a fulfilling life.

It is important to carry out the treatment by joint administration of drugs, psychotherapy and adherence to the diet.

Preparations

Of the drugs, patients are usually prescribed antispasmodics, enzymes, probiotics, agents that relax the nervous system.The choice of medicines depends on the symptoms.

Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea

If the main symptom of the patient’s disease is diarrhea, he is prescribed drugs that slow down the loss of fluid and reduce intestinal peristalsis. They help reduce the frequency of the urge to defecate. Also, the doctor may prescribe you enterosorbents that bind substances in the gastrointestinal tract by adsorption.

SRK with flatulence

For flatulence, patients are prescribed carminative drugs that reduce the formation of gases in the gastrointestinal tract and help remove them.Antispasmodics are also prescribed, which relax the smooth muscles of the internal organs and enterosorbents.

IBS with pain syndrome

In order to stop the pain syndrome caused by IBS, patients are prescribed antispasmodics that normalize the motility of the digestive tract and restore peristalsis.

SRK with lock

To eliminate constipation, laxatives are prescribed that regulate bowel movement.With sluggish peristalsis, irritating agents are used that help speed up the excretion of feces.

Diet

For the treatment of the syndrome, it is also important to adhere to the correct diet. It is recommended to eat 4-6 times a day in small portions, you need to eat regularly, without skipping meals. There is no universal menu for patients with IBS. It needs to be selected individually, depending on the symptoms and reactions to different foods. But in any case, it is worth removing from the diet foods that can irritate the intestines: carbonated drinks, white bread, pastries, coffee.

Prevention

To prevent the disease, you need to eat on time and regularly, avoid overeating. Any kind of physical activity will also benefit.

You can sign up for a consultation with a gastroenterologist at the Clinic Alone by phone in Kirov: (8332) 32-7777
or through the form on the website

diagnostics and treatment in St. Petersburg

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a persistent functional disorder in the functioning of an organ.The disease is considered one of the most common in the population. Moreover, both an adult and a child can face it. According to statistics, it is known that every fourth person has the disease, but not all of them seek medical help.

An irritated intestine does not pose a threat to life, however, if the necessary measures are not taken in a timely manner and the treatment of the disease is not started, then serious complications can develop.Therefore, our doctors recommend not to self-medicate, but at the first symptoms, contact a gastroenterologist.

What does irritable bowel syndrome mean?

IBS is a functional disorder of the colon. It manifests itself in a long and regular symptom complex. It is characterized by the appearance of abdominal pain and defecation disorders, in the form of constipation or diarrhea.

With the disease, intestinal peristalsis is upset and the digestion of food is disturbed.This is confirmed by irregular complaints, an undulating course without progression of symptoms. Stressful situations can provoke a relapse of the disease.

With this disease, the intestine is in a normal state, but does not work in the required mode.

For what reasons it develops and how it manifests itself

The causes of irritable bowel are unknown to doctors. However, there is an opinion that such symptoms can be caused by a complex of disorders of the mental and physical condition of a person.

Consider the main causes of the disease:

Failure of the nerve connections of the brain and intestines. The brain must control the functioning of the digestive tract. If there are disturbances in the conduction of nerve impulses, then the correct work of the digestive organs also gets lost.
Improper bowel motility. Abdominal pain is the result of a sharp muscle contraction. If the motor skills work at an accelerated pace, then the person develops diarrhea, and when slowing down, constipation.
Psychological disorders. Patients diagnosed with IBS are often depressed, stressed, or anxious.
Infectious diseases. The presence of infections in the gastrointestinal tract can provoke the development of the syndrome.
Hormonal background. Sometimes the causes of the disease lie in the failure of the hormonal background, the symptoms of the syndrome increase in women before menstruation.

Irritable bowel symptoms can include:

pain in the abdomen of varying severity and duration;
diarrhea or constipation;
bloating;
unstable mood, depression, unfounded fears;
headaches, sensation of a lump in the throat, impaired urination.

Intestinal irritation can occur immediately after a meal is finished or in stressful situations. In females, symptoms occur or worsen before menstruation. Our doctors recommend not to delay the problem, but to immediately begin treatment of the functional disorder.

How the disease is detected

If the above symptoms occur, you should contact a gastroenterologist, it is he who prescribes the treatment of irritable bowel.The symptoms of the syndrome are very similar to the manifestations of other gastrointestinal pathologies, therefore, a complete examination is required to determine and prescribe the correct treatment for IBS.

Consider what research needs to be done for diagnosis:

blood and stool tests to check white blood cell counts and rule out anemia, internal bleeding, and pancreatitis;
thyroid hormones are checked to rule out hyper or hypothyroidism;
if celiac disease is suspected, gastroscopy with biopsy is performed;
to determine if there are severe pathologies of internal organs, an abdominal ultrasound is done;
an X-ray is taken to see the relief of the colon;
if tumors or inflammatory bowel disease are suspected, a colonoscopy is necessary.

Our doctors diagnose and give recommendations on how to treat IBS, only after a complete examination and exclusion of other possible diseases.

How the disease is treated

Irritable bowel treatment always begins with non-drug treatments that do not involve medication. It consists in adherence to diet, lifestyle changes and psychotherapy.

Medication is to relieve unpleasant symptoms:

antispasmodics reduce pain by eliminating intestinal spasms;
for constipation, laxatives are prescribed;
to get rid of diarrhea, antidiarrheal drugs are prescribed;
to improve the psycho-emotional background of a person, antidepressants are recommended;
probiotics improve the functioning of the intestines;
antibacterial agents are prescribed to destroy pathogenic microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract.

It is important to understand that it will take a long period of time for a full recovery. Symptoms will periodically appear in a less pronounced form. This is due not to the low efficiency of the therapy method, but to the very nature of IBS.

Our clinic is the best in the treatment of such diseases

If you have the above symptoms, do not try to eliminate them using traditional methods or self-medicate.Thus, you will only waste time, effort and money, but you will not achieve the result. The best solution to the problem is to make an appointment with a gastroenterologist at our clinic, which has many advantages:

we employ highly professional specialists;
the clinic is equipped with high quality diagnostic equipment;
doctors use effective modern methods of treatment;
we do not have long tedious queues to see a specialist;
besides, there are democratic prices.

Choosing our clinic and making an appointment with a specialist, you will not regret your decision

We recommend:

Taking a biopsy for endoscopic examinations

Taking a biopsy at endoscopy

Appointment of a gastroenterologist

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– chronic gastritis,
– peptic ulcer,
– chronic colitis and other inflammatory bowel diseases,
– Crohn’s disease,
– ulcerative colitis,
– previously identified polyps of the stomach and intestines,
– identified submucosal epithelial formations of the gastrointestinal tract?

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Do you smoke (more than 1 cigarette per day)?

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Do you allow for errors in your diet (low consumption of fruits and vegetables, high consumption of meat and animal fats)?

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You have at least one of the following symptoms:

– overweight,
– difficulty swallowing,
– irritability,
– pallor of the skin,
– chest pain,
– unmotivated weakness,
– sleep disturbance,
– loss of appetite,
– bad breath,
– belching,
– nausea and / or vomiting,
– feeling of heaviness in the abdomen,
– changes in stool (constipation and / or diarrhea),
– traces of blood in the stool,
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The highest level of specialists: among them are doctors of medical sciences and members of the world’s medical communities, and the average length of service of the clinic’s doctors is 16 years of impeccable work.
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Unique technologies for early diagnosis of cancer, including i-scan – virtual chromoendoscopy. With the help of this technology, even the smallest, initial tumor changes can be recognized.
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Irritable colon symptoms treatment: Irritable bowel syndrome – Symptoms and causes

Irritable bowel syndrome – Symptoms and causes

Overview

Symptoms

When to see a doctor

Causes

Triggers

Risk factors

Complications

Related

Associated Procedures

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, Medications

Irritable Bowel Syndrome: IBS, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Overview

What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

What is a functional GI disorder?

What are the different types of IBS?

How does IBS affect my body?

What are other names for IBS?

Who is at risk for developing IBS?

What triggers IBS?

How common is IBS?

Symptoms and Causes

What are the causes of IBS?

What are IBS symptoms?

Diagnosis and Tests

How is IBS diagnosed?

Will I need a colonoscopy?

Do I need to see a gastroenterologist?

Management and Treatment

What is IBS treatment?

Prevention

Can I prevent IBS?

How can I control IBS?

Outlook / Prognosis

If I have IBS, does that mean I’m more likely to develop serious gastrointestinal problems?

Is IBS fatal?

Is there a cure for IBS?

Living With

When should I see a healthcare provider?

How can I best take care of myself if I have IBS?

What else should I ask my healthcare provider?

Irritable Bowel Syndrome: IBS, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Overview

What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

What is a functional GI disorder?

What are the different types of IBS?

How does IBS affect my body?

What are other names for IBS?

Who is at risk for developing IBS?

What triggers IBS?

How common is IBS?

Symptoms and Causes

What are the causes of IBS?

What are IBS symptoms?

Diagnosis and Tests

How is IBS diagnosed?

Will I need a colonoscopy?

Do I need to see a gastroenterologist?

Management and Treatment

What is IBS treatment?

Prevention

Can I prevent IBS?

How can I control IBS?

Outlook / Prognosis

If I have IBS, does that mean I’m more likely to develop serious gastrointestinal problems?

Is IBS fatal?

Is there a cure for IBS?

Living With

When should I see a healthcare provider?

How can I best take care of myself if I have IBS?

What else should I ask my healthcare provider?

10 IBS Triggers, Symptoms,Causes, Diet & Treatment

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) | Michigan Medicine

Topic Overview

What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

What causes IBS?

What are the symptoms?

How is IBS diagnosed?

How is it treated?