💩 Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain and altered bowel habits without any identifiable structural or biochemical cause.
🔍 Symptoms
- Abdominal pain or cramping (often relieved by bowel movement)
- Bloating and gas
- Changes in bowel habits:
- Diarrhea (IBS-D)
- Constipation (IBS-C)
- Alternating diarrhea and constipation (IBS-M)
- Mucus in stool
- Urgency or incomplete bowel emptying
🧠 Causes and Triggers
- Exact cause unknown, but factors include:
- Abnormal gut motility
- Increased sensitivity of the intestines
- Gut-brain axis disturbances
- Infections (post-infectious IBS)
- Stress and anxiety
- Certain foods (dairy, gluten, caffeine, fatty foods)
🧪 Diagnosis
- Based on symptoms and ruling out other conditions
- Rome IV criteria commonly used
- Blood tests, stool tests, and colonoscopy to exclude other diseases
🛠️ Treatment
Lifestyle and Dietary Changes
- High-fiber diet (adjust depending on constipation or diarrhea)
- Avoid trigger foods (low FODMAP diet often recommended)
- Regular exercise
- Stress management techniques
Medications
- Antispasmodics for cramping
- Laxatives or anti-diarrheal agents
- Antidepressants (low dose) to reduce pain and improve gut function
- Probiotics (may help some people)