Coping With Irritable Bowel Syndrome

At-Risk for IBS

There are many gastroenterological diseases and one of the most common is irritable bowel syndrome, more commonly called IBS.

Just like every other disease, it is safe to assume that certain people are more susceptible to irritable bowel syndrome than others. They are the ones who are called at «high risk for irritable bowel syndrome.»

There are certain factors to consider before you can call anyone «at risk for irritable bowel syndrome» or «high risk for irritable bowel syndrome.» Knowing these factors can be very helpful in the early detection of IBS.

Know Your Enemy: Defining Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Currently, there is no well-established etiology of irritable bowel syndrome. Since the etiology is not that established, diagnosis of IBS can also be quite difficult. There are no known specific laboratory tests that can single-handedly point to irritable bowel syndrome as the condition of the patient. Another difficulty in diagnosing IBS is that its signs and symptoms are more or less the same as other gastroenterological diseases. Because of this predicament, a set of guidelines has been created to help diagnose irritable bowel syndrome.

Risk Factors Considered For Irritable Bowel Syndrome

You have learned that the cause of irritable bowel syndrome is not yet fully known, but certain factors may precipitate some people being more vulnerable to IBS than others.

• A factor that you would most likely consider first is the sex of the person. It has been known that 80% of all people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome are women. Just like the syndrome’s etiology, it is not known why this is the case. Some researchers suspect that this could be an effect of the changes in the hormones of a woman during her menstrual cycle.

• Age is another risk factor that can be considered in IBS. Although anybody at any age can be affected by irritable bowel syndrome, there is a certain age group whose members are more susceptible compared to the members of other age groups. The range of this age group is 13 years old to 40 years old. It has also been observed that people over 50 years old are the least susceptible to this syndrome.

• Another risk factor for irritable bowel syndrome is stress. Some studies do show that IBS can be caused by stress or some psychiatric disorder. This can be anything from the stress of work and everyday life or a very traumatic incident. It is also believed that signs and symptoms of IBS can be relieved by therapy.

• Diet and eating habits are other risk factors. They may not directly cause irritable bowel syndrome but a bad diet plus poor eating habits could easily affect your digestive system which may in turn help develop the syndrome.

If you are at risk for IBS and you think that you have been affected, it would be best to consult your doctor right away.

Irritable bowel syndrome has no known well-established etiology. Different risk factors could categorize a person as somebody who is at risk for IBS. If this is the case and you are experiencing signs & symptoms of IBS, have a medical checkup right away to promote early detection and prevention.

What Are the Symptoms of IBS?

What Are the Symptoms of IBS?

Irritable bowel syndrome spares no one. It can affect your infant child or your 92-year-old grandpa. It can affect your father or your mother, your brother or your sister. IBS is not racist; it can affect an Asian as well as it can affect a Caucasian. It could even affect you. It chooses nobody.

Given that this is the case with irritable bowel syndrome, knowing its symptoms is the first step for you and your family. It can aid you in the early detection of IBS as well as its early treatment.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

As we have discussed, simply put, irritable bowel syndrome is a functional bowel disorder. Its causes are not yet known – it could be from a psychosomatic disorder to an immune system disorder or an infectious agent. Some studies show diet, eating habits, stress, and psychological well-being also contribute to the development of IBS.

Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome varies from person to person. This is mostly because treatment consists only of relieving the symptoms of the syndrome. Some of the treatment includes therapy for stress and psychologically induced IBS and taking off different medication related to symptoms.

Symptoms Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

There are several symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Here is a list:

1) Abdominal Cramps – painful muscular contractions in the abdomen.

2) Flatulence – gas released from the anus

3) Diarrhea – consistent passage of soft to watery stools in short intervals.

4) Abdominal Discomfort – the feeling of discomfort in the abdominal area.

5) Abdominal Pain – the sensation of pain in the abdominal area.

6) Belching / Burping – production and release of gas in the oral area.

7) Abdominal Swelling – bloating of the abdomen.

8) Hard Stool – also known as constipation is a stool that is usually dry and hard.

9) Stool With Mucus – the presence of mucus in the stool.

10) Headache – the sensation of pain occurring in the head area.

11) Weight Loss – weight loss in IBS can be an effect of losing appetite.

12) Haggard Looking – the look of exhaustion is eminent on the person.

13) Nausea – an uneasy feeling

14) Difficulty In Swallowing

15) Chest Pain

16) Bowel Movements

These are the common symptoms present in irritable bowel syndrome. The most common symptoms that people experience are abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, and a sudden change in the bowel movement pattern. When this happens to you then you may have irritable bowel syndrome or another gastroenterological disease.

Since the etiology of IBS is unknown, there is no specific laboratory test that can detect it. Diagnosis can sometimes really become very difficult. A battery of tests is done to be able to rule out other possibilities of gastroenterological disease. Signs and symptoms manifested by the patients are also very vital in its detection.

The problem with this is that most, if not all of these symptoms are present in other gastric-related diseases. This again becomes a painful task of categorizing signs and symptoms just to make sure that it is irritable bowel syndrome.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Is It Fatal?

Irritable bowel syndrome is not fatal. The most that it can do to a person is let him or her experience severe pain in the abdominal area. If experiencing severe diarrhea or constipation, can lead to hemorrhoids. But even if it is not fatal, irritable bowel syndrome should not be taken lightly. There is a possibility that the signs and symptoms are indications of something more than IBS.

If experiencing or presented with the different signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, do not have second thoughts about going to the doctor and having a checkup. It is possible that if it is detected early, then there will be no aggravation of the condition. Always remember that the symptoms are there to aid you and not to scare you.

What Causes IBS – Overview of the GI Tract

What Causes IBS – Overview of the GI Tract?

Just like every other disease, it is quite critical that you know what causes IBS not just for the sake of knowledge but also for the protection of your health as well as the health of the people you care about.

The Gastrointestinal Tract

Before proceeding to the causes of IBS, it would be best to take a look at the gastrointestinal tract since this is the system involved. You would be able to understand IBS more if you have some knowledge about the GI tract.