Overview – Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Syndrome refers to a group of symptoms, and irritable bowel syndrome is when there are altered bowel movements with either constipation or diarrhea along with painful cramps.

Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS as it is commonly referred to, is an idiopathic condition, in that there is no identifiable cause for the condition. It affects almost 40 million Americans, especially females, who are in their teens to 40s.

While it is not life-threatening, people with IBS fear eating anything. They could develop an aversion to food and even have to make changes in terms of work hours, school hours, etc. They are also at risk for developing other bowel conditions like ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s, or colon cancer.

Types of IBS

Depending on the predominant bowel movement pattern, there are 4 types of IBS identified.

IBS-D is when the predominant bowel movement is diarrhea
IBS-C is when constipation is the predominant bowel movement
IBS-M is when constipation and diarrhea alternate
IBS-U is IBS-unspecified when there is no specific predominant bowel movement identifiable.

Symptoms of IBS

Following are the array of symptoms of IBS-

Altered bowel movements, which could be either diarrhea or constipation or a combination of the two
Severe belly pains and cramps, giving the person a feeling that the belly is irritated, from where the condition gets its name. The pain is worse after eating and is reduced greatly with a bowel movement
A bloated, gassy feeling
Altered stool pattern, either like ribbon or pellets
A tummy that is protruding out
Presence of mucus in the stool
Urinary symptoms including increased urge to urinate and a feeling of incomplete emptying of bladder
Sexual problems including painful sex

Causes of IBS

IBS is also known as an idiopathic condition, where the exact cause is not known. Various theories are doing the rounds, some of them listed below-

A hypersensitive colon which moves very rapidly producing spasms instead of slow, rhythmic movements. This causes cramps and either diarrhea or constipation instead of regular bowel movements.
Improper control of nerve signals to the bowel, which alters the bowel movement.
Inflammation of the intestines is believed to be another cause, as people with IBS have more antibodies in their gut.
The hormonal effect, as it is more common in women, but this yet to be proven.
Presence of some bacteria is also believed to cause IBS, again to be proven.

Risk factors

It is, however, proven that the following are risk factors for IBS-

Gender – Women are twice more likely to be affected than men.
Genetics – A person with a family history of IBS is highly likely to have it.
Smoking – Increases the risk of developing IBS
Stress – A very strong link has been established of IBS with stress such that during periods of stress, the severity of IBS worsens.

Management

Even before switching to medications, identify foods that worsen the condition, manage stress, and see if the symptoms can be controlled. If nothing works, then as a last resort, medications can be taken. If the symptoms or uneasiness still persists it is advisable to consult your doctor.

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