Do you have irritable bowel syndrome? Do you feel like having it? First and foremost we should know what is Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS this syndrome is a disorder that suggests that the internal organ or large intestine doesn’t function or performing correctly It is not a disease of the bowels, nor can it lead to any serious bowel disease such as inflammatory bowel disease or colon cancer. It is based on a constellation of symptoms and the absence of different symptoms. Is the foremost common disease diagnosed by gastroenterologists and one of the foremost common disorders seen by medical physicians?
There is no notorious reason behind the syndrome, however, it is associated with abnormal spasms or contraction of the muscles with the gut. Where stool is made. For this reason, it is used to be known as a Spastic Colon. However, the most common symptoms attributed to Irritable bowel syndrome are abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, bloating, and excess gas. Gluten intolerance is also common but often missed gastrointestinal diagnosis. The intake of gluten-containing foods in affected people usually causes symptoms attributed to IBS that are eased with a gluten-free diet in at least 15-25% of people that are misdiagnosed with IBS. Different food intolerance is also a possible reason behind IBS symptoms which will improve with the prevention of certain foods.
Although no cause is found, certain factors do build it worse, for instance, stress seems to exacerbate symptoms, as well as smoking and certain foods like caffeine, citrus, dairy, and certain medications. As a result, it is a functional disease and there is no specific diagnostic test.
Typical lab tests ordered by doctors screening for more serious intestinal diseases that may mimic IBS include a complete blood count (CBC) looking for signs of blood loss or anemia the low hemoglobin or hematocrit, show’s signs of inflammation or infection. The high white blood cell count and/or platelet count and stool tests for blood. (fecal occult blood test or FOBT) or white blood cells (WBCs or fecal leukocytes). The stool test is seeking for signs of bleeding, infection, or inflammation from the intestine. IBS doesn’t cause any bleeding or intestinal inflammation whereas inflammatory bowel disease, any contamination, or cancer could occur. Running a test is reassuring though it doesn’t exclude a lot of serious diseases. Most gastroenterologists believe an endoscopy ought to be performed.
However, most doctors, even several gastroenterologists, fail to check for disorder although it’s common and screening blood tests exist. There are so many reasons for this and are more fully explained elsewhere. However, the common incidence, presence of screening tests, and obtainable treatment ought to create screening for disorder a part of the quality analysis of all patients presenting with symptoms implicational IBD before that diagnosis is established.
There is however a standard called the Rome III Criteria which differentiates IBS from any other disorder.
- Can only be diagnosed if present for at least 6 months
- Recurrent abdominal pain related to change in frequency of bowel movement.
- Pain is relieved by a bowel movement
Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS):
- Alternating constipation and diarrhea
- Abdominal pain and cramps
- Flatulence
- Bloating especially after meals.
- Possible mucous in the stool
- A feeling of a swollen or bloated and incomplete bowel evacuation
- Abdominal pain relieved by a bowel movement
Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS):
There is no known cure for IBS. There is only the symptomatic treatment and prevention of the illness. Medications like antispasmodics relieve cramps and pain. Trying to relieve stress can help the emotional aspect.
The biggest effect on IBS is diet. Cutting out some of the triggers such as
- Sugar
- Wheat
- Coffee
- Dairy products
- Alcohol
- Chocolate
Including more fiber in the diet also seems to help.
What about gluten? Cutting out any gluten-containing products (wheat, rye, oats, and barley) also helps with IBS symptoms. This is where there is often an interesting overlap to Celiac Disease. In patients diagnosed with IBS who were tested for Celiac, they had up to four times higher incidence of having Celiac Disease.
If you have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome I recommend you confirm that Celiac disease has been excluded. Food intolerance ought to be considered testing although testing may not be included by your insurance and/or accepted by the doctor as valid. Elimination of common foods and their proteins causing intolerance, wheat, barley, and rye (gluten); cow’s milk protein (casein); soy; and peanuts is worth a try. Make sure to keep a food-symptom diary and reintroduce one food or food protein back into your diet at a time. One diet that can effectively eliminate all the important food proteins causing intolerance but may also be difficult to follow is the paleo diet.
