Irritable Bowel Syndrome affects 10-20% of the world’s population. It is the second only to the common cold as the most common reason for missed work.

The syndrome is probably most characterized by an unpredictable need to defecate that sends people on frantic searches for bathrooms. There is generally little time from the onset of symptoms until the urge to go arrives. This can put you in awkward and embarrassing situations.

 

 

If you want a hard and fast explanation for your irritable bowel, you will only meet with disappointment. The cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome is unclear, unknown, and widely debated.

 

It is largely believed that there is a glitch in communication between the muscles of the large intestine/colon and the brain, which causes Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms. This oversensitivity may cause ordinary events, such as the passage of food, to trigger bowel pain, diarrhea, constipation, gas, and bloating.

 

 

All of us experience abdominal discomfort at one time or another. But what if the bowel pain keeps coming back? Or you experience a relief that turns out to be fleeting before the next onset of abdominal cramps, or that gnawing discomfort that makes you want to stay at home, near the bathroom?

 

Abdominal pain is only one of the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. You may also notice that your pants aren’t quite fitting in the same way, that you feel bloated. Or you feel full before you’ve finished half your meal. Maybe you’ve been passing gas more frequently than you used to.

 

The diarrhea can come without warning, and often. With Irritable Bowel Syndrome, you may have diarrhea more than three times per day. But although going can also make the pain go away, you may not know when you are finished because the irritable bowel movement may feel incomplete.

 

Alternately, you may feel like you need to go, but can’t. You might spend a half hour in the bathroom, only to be disappointed. And when you do go, your stool is rock hard. If you have a bowel movement fewer than three times per week, this is, most certainly, constipation. Constipation is often painful, causing sharp pains and excessive bloating.

 

But if constipation alternates with diarrhea (which it frequently can), you never know what’s coming.

 

 

Diagnosing Irritable Bowel Syndrome is more of an art than a science. There is no single test that can confirm or deny its presence. But before it can be effectively diagnosed, make sure that your doctor or gastroenterologist has ruled out all other possible bowel problems.

 

The Irritable Bowel tests that your gastroenterologist decides are necessary to rule out other bowel disorders will depend on your age, health history, family history, specific locations and type of pain, and the presence of constipation and/or diarrhea. It is important to rule out inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis, and other physical, structural, or infectious bowel diseases such as bowel cancer, bowel infection or other bowel disorders.

 

Doctors use the Rome II Criteria only to diagnose IBS when there is no structural or biochemical source to be found. For at least 12 weeks in the preceding 12 months (not necessarily consecutive), abdominal discomfort has two out of three of these characteristics:

 

 

The Rome II Criteria only applies after a careful examination of your medical history, physical abdominal examination, and other tests which may indicate other disorders. But it is the means doctors use to reach an IBS diagnosis.

 

 

With the discomfort associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, millions of people are seeking easy IBS relief. But because the cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome is unknown, there is unfortunately no known cure. Treatment methods focus on controlling the symptoms with a combination of medication and lifestyle adjustments, including diet and stress-management. Often, these lifestyle changes can provide relief from IBS symptoms. But in more severe cases, these changes can be supplemented with medication. Luckily, bowel surgery is not in the picture.

 

Certain foods can trigger symptoms of IBS. Generally, it is a good idea to stay away from spicy foods, caffeine, meals heavy in fat content, raw fruits and vegetables (and all forms of broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage). Eat small quantities several times a day to avoid over stimulating your bowel. Whether you suffer from diarrhea or constipation will determine how you should handle fiber. If you have diarrhea, a diet low in fiber is best. If you have constipation, high fiber eating can ease your symptoms.

 

In managing your irritable bowel diet, it is important to keep an IBS food journal. Record the food you consume and how it effects your IBS symptoms. Then you can take note of the patterns that emerge and use them to design a diet regimen that is right for you.  

 

Keeping calm can do more than ease your mind. It can provide treatment for Irritable Bowel symptoms. Stress can over-stimulate the brain and the nerves in your bowel, creating painful bowel activity.

 

Everyone has stressors in their lives, but if you can manage your life to minimize them, your comfort and overall quality of life can improve. Treat this by making a list of stressors, and find ways to make changes in your life to reduce their influence over you. Meditation, yoga, and self-hypnosis can be a tremendous benefit, as they relax your internal response to stress and can keep you from reacting to stimulus in ways that can exacerbate your IBS.

 

Make time in your day to relax. Choose a time when you can be alone, and will not be disturbed. Draw yourself a bath, read books that make you feel good, or better yet -- practice the stress-management techniques found in meditation, yoga, or self-hypnosis. These include breathing exercises that can calm you down, and even make you feel good. Make this time of relaxation as important as eating, because as you learn to manage your emotions, your Irritable Bowel symptoms can ease up.

 

In severe cases, Irritable Bowel Syndrome medication is necessary to manage your symptoms. While fiber can be a good addition to the diet of someone with Irritable Bowel Syndrome with constipation, if you suffer from diarrhea, an over the counter antidiarrheal medication such as Imodium or Kaopectate may help. But it is not a good idea to take these on a long-term basis without consulting your doctor.

 

While antispasmodic medications slow down activity in the digestive track and may help reduce the chance of spasms, they have side effects and should not be added to your regimen without careful consideration and your doctor’s full support.

 

Antidepressant and antianxiety medications that effect the serotonin in your brain may be helpful. Small doses of antidepressants can actually ease the symptoms of Irritable Bowel. And antianxiety medication can help reduce your response to stressors, thereby easing your symptoms. If living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome is causing you distress, either in the form of depression or anxiety, these medications for IBS can help.