Irritable Bowel Syndrome Diet

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Symptoms

IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) Symptoms

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)is a functional disorder, meaning that the bowel (colon or large intestine) doesn't work as it should. Irritable bowel syndrome is neither an illness nor a disease. It isn't contagious, inherited, cancerous, or cancer causing. It doesn't damage the bowel or cause other diseases or illnesses. Yet, once developed, IBS is a chronic condition and a source of pain, discomfort and embarrassment for many people.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a common intestinal problem. Although often its victims suffer in silence, estimates suggest that irritable bowel syndrome affects up to 20% of the population. IBS is most often diagnosed in women but may also affect men and is usually diagnosed in individuals between the ages of 20 and 55.

Other names for irritable bowel syndrome include nervous stomach, irritable colon, spastic colon or bowel, functional bowel disease, and mucous colitis. However, IBS is not a true colitis. Colitis is a separate condition known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

In individuals with irritable bowel syndrome, nerves and muscles in the bowel are extra-sensitive. Intestines squeeze too hard or not hard enough, causing food to move either too rapidly or too slowly through the bowel.

Normally, the gut moves food along through a series of muscular contractions and expansions (propulsion) and holds some food back (segmentation). The compete process of propulsion and segmentation is called peristalsis. When everything works as it should, you don't notice the process. IBS is a loss of the co-ordination of the processes of propulsion and segmentation.

You are most susceptible to developing irritable bowel syndrome if:

You eat a low-fiber diet

You experience intense or on-going emotional stress

You over-use laxatives

You've experienced a bout of infectious diarrhea or other temporary bowel inflammation

Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Although research has uncovered no definitive cause of irritable bowel syndrome, experts suggest many possible causes of the disorder. Irritable bowel syndrome may be caused by a disturbance in the muscle movement of the intestine or an individual's low tolerance for the natural stretching, contractions, and movements of the intestine. Other possible causes of IBS include dietary triggers or, as noted above, intense or on-going emotional stress.

Irritable bowel syndrome neither causes nor displays abnormalities in the structure of the intestine.

The word syndrome means a pattern or a composite of symptoms. IBS is a syndrome because it presents several symptoms or a pattern of symptoms over time.

Common symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Stomach Pains or Cramps

Swollen or bloated abdomen

Flatulence (gas)

Mucus in the stool

Constipation

Diarrhea, especially after eating or first thing in the morning

Feeling as if you have not finished a bowel movement

Feeling a strong urge to have a bowel movement

While irritable bowel syndrome is a recurring (chronic) disorder, it doesn't get worse over time.

About half of those diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome date the beginning of the disorder to a stressful event in their lives, such as a change in location or career or the loss of a loved one. Stress may also cause symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome to worsen. Women may notice an increase in symptoms during menstruation. Dietary change, poor diet, over-eating, and some foods may increase the severity of symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Note: The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome may also indicate other, life-threatening physical disorders. If you experience any of the symptoms of IBS, please consult with a professional health provider to ensure correct diagnosis.