Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a disorder in which the nerves that control the muscles in the large intestine/colon are too active, causing it to become sensitive to food and stress.

Abdominal pain is only one of the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. You may also feel bloated and pass gas more frequently than you used to.

 

After you eat, food absorbs water as it moves through the colon, eventually becoming stool. As muscle contractions force the stool through the colon, the water is reabsorbed and the stool is more or less solid when it is passed through the rectum. When too much water is absorbed, or the process of moving waste through the colon is too slow, the result is hard and frequently impassable stool. When not enough water is absorbed, or the process of moving waste through the colon is too fast, the result is loose and watery stool.

 

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 with IBS, constipation can alternate with diarrhea (which it frequently does). This alternation between the two is the feature of Irritable Bowel Syndrome that causes the most anguish, because you never know what’s coming.

 

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.

 

There is no single test that can confirm or deny the presence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, because it is not a structural or biochemical disorder. It is usually diagnosed primarily through the absence of other explanations. Before it can be effectively diagnosed, doctors and gastroenterologists rule out all other possible bowel problems. So if you think you may have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, see your doctor to be certain of the cause of your symptoms.

 

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.

 

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 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.

 

Often, these lifestyle changes can provide relief from IBS symptoms. But in more severe cases, these changes can be supplemented with medication. See your doctor for their recommendation of over the counter remedies and prescription medications. Luckily, bowel surgery is not in the picture.

 

 

If you are experiencing anemia, blood in stool, or fever, see your doctor immediately. These are not characteristic of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and can be indicators of other bowel disorders.