Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Irritable bowel syndrome
(IBS) is a mixture of abdominal symptoms for which there is no apparent cause.
Symptoms include
constipation, diarrhoea, bloating and abdominal pain.
The
bowel and IBS
Other
names for IBS
- Irritable colon.
- Spastic colon.
- Mucous colitis.
Causes
for irritable bowel syndrome?
How
common is IBS?
IBS is more common in women.
In the UK about 13 per cent
of women and 5 per cent of men have IBS.
We don't know what causes
IBS.
- About half of people with IBS date the start of their
symptoms to a major life event such as change of house or job, or
bereavement. This suggests that there may be a psychological trigger for
IBS.
- About 10 to 20 per cent of people will date the start
of their symptoms to an acute gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach
that causes vomiting and diarrhoea).
- In the remainder of cases, the trigger factor remains
unidentified.
Abnormalities in peristalsis
can often be seen in close relatives of people with IBS, although without
symptoms. This suggests a trigger sets off the condition in susceptible people.
Nerve-signalling chemicals,
particularly serotonin, appear to have an important role.
Symptoms
of IBS
IBS
and cancer
Although IBS can be a
distressing condition, it never causes bowel cancer or bowel damage.
IBS symptoms and can start
at any age, but are most common in late teenage years or early adulthood.
The four most common
symptoms are:
- constipation
- abdominal pain
- bloating that usually subsides overnight and returns
the following day
- Diarrhoea.
You may experience problems
in only one part of the gut or in several, and symptoms can change over time.
Your symptoms will depend on which parts of the gut are involved.
Oesophagus
(takes food from mouth to stomach)
- A sensation like a golf ball in the throat between
meals, but does not interfere with swallowing.
- Heartburn - burning pain often felt behind the
breastbone.
- Painful swallowing (odynophagia), but without hold-up
of food.
- Sticking of food (dysphasia) - this requires
investigation.
Stomach
- Non-ulcer dyspepsia (symptoms suggestive of a stomach
or duodenal ulcer, but which has not been confirmed on investigation).
- Feeling full after small meals. This may reach the
stage of not being able to finish a meal.
- Abdominal bloating after meals.
Small
bowel
- Increased gurgling noises which may be loud enough to
cause social embarrassment (borborygmi).
- Severe abdominal bloating and generalised abdominal
tenderness associated with bloating.
Large
bowel
- Right-sided abdominal pain, either low or tucked up
under the right ribs. Does not always get better after passing a stool.
- Pain tucked up under the left ribs (splenic flexure
syndrome). When the pain is bad, it may enter the left armpit.
- Variable and erratic bowel habits alternating from
constipation to diarrhoea.
- Flatulence (excess wind).
- Increased gastro-colic reflex. This is an awakening of
the childhood reflex where food in the stomach stimulates colonic
activity, resulting in the need to pass a stool.
- Severe, short stabbing pains in the rectum, called
proctalgia fugax.
Other
symptoms
- Headaches.
- In women, left-sided abdominal pain during sex.
- Passing urine more often.
- Fatigue and tiredness.
- Sleep disturbance.
- Loss of appetite.
- Nausea.
- Depressive symptoms in about a third of patients.
- Anxiety and stress-related symptoms, which may interact
with gut symptoms.
Consult
your doctor if you have
The following symptoms.
- Difficulty in swallowing when food gets stuck.
- Indigestion-type pain that wakes you up at night.
- Abdominal bloating that does not get better overnight.
- Significant and unexplained weight loss.
- Bleeding from the back passage.
- Chronic, painless diarrhoea.
This list is not
comprehensive. If there are other symptoms, you should seek further advice.
In general, first-time
symptoms of IBS in a person over the age of 40 should be assessed by a doctor.
Prevention
of IBS
Since the cause of IBS is
unknown, it's not possible to reliably prevent symptoms.
The following strategies can
help your digestive system and so may improve the condition.
- Drink lots of water, preferably two litres a day.
- A high-fibre diet improves digestion. The amount of
fibre must be increased gradually to allow the stomach to get used to it.
- Avoid food or beverages that make the symptoms worse.
Coffee and milk are frequent offenders.
- It may be helpful to keep a diary in which you note
down the foods that seem to upset your stomach.
- Avoid strong spices and foods that give you wind.
- Avoid large meals, but eat regularly.
- Limit your alcohol intake.
Homeopathy
Treatment for IBS
Symptomatic
Homeopathy medicines treatment helps to relieve Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms.
Lifestyle changes
can be helpful in some cases of IBS.
Whom to contact for IBS Treatment
Dr.Senthil Kumar Treats many cases of all
types of IBS, In his medical professional experience with successful results.
Many patients get relief after taking treatment from Dr.Senthil Kumar.
Dr.Senthil Kumar visits Chennai at Vivekanantha Homeopathy Clinic, Velachery,
Chennai 42. To get appointment please call 9786901830, +91 94430 54168 or mail
to consult.ur.dr@gmail.com,
For more details & Consultation Feel
free to contact us.
Vivekanantha
Clinic Consultation Champers at
Chennai:- 9786901830
Panruti:- 9443054168
Pondicherry:- 9865212055 (Camp)
For appointment please
Call us or Mail Us
For
appointment: SMS your Name -Age – Mobile Number - Problem in Single word -
date and day - Place of appointment (Eg: Rajini – 30 - 99xxxxxxx0 – IBS, இரிடபிள் பவல் சிண்ரோம்– 21st Oct, Sunday - Chennai ), You will receive Appointment
details through SMS
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