All about Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a digestive disorder that affects daily life. While it is not life-threatening, IBS can disrupt everyday work life with its unpredictability and difficulty to manage, making it a major health concern. Fortunately, ongoing medical research and advancements are improving the way we understand and treat this condition. This article explores the causes, symptoms, and the latest treatments for IBS.

What is IBS?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition that affects the large intestine. It is called a functional gastrointestinal disorder, meaning it affects how the digestive system works rather than causing visual damage to the bowel movement. People with this syndrome often experience a variety of symptoms, which can vary from person to person. IBS is classified into 3 subcategories:

IBS-D: Characterized by frequent loose stools (diarrhea)
IBS-C: Involves frequent or difficult-to-pass stools (constipation)
IBS-M: Features between both diarrhea and constipation

Symptoms of IBS

The symptoms of IBS can vary from person to person. Some of the most common ones include:

Abdominal pains/cramp
Too much gas or bloating
Diarrhea
Constipation
Mucus in poop
The feeling of wanting to keep pooping

IBS is a significant health concern because it is more common and affects up to 10-15% of the global population, which also disrupts daily life. Its symptoms can interfere with work, social activities, and emotional well-being, which sometimes leads to stress, as it has many dietary restrictions. The lack of ability to be cured and the wide range of symptoms make it difficult to manage the productivity of life.

Doctors diagnose IBS primarily based on symptoms and by using other digestive conditions as a baseline, like celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), or infections. Tests such as stool analysis, blood work, or colonoscopy may be conducted to know in depth and not cause more diseases.

Causes and Risk Factors

Although the real cause of IBS is not found, it is correlated with a combination of factors

Gut-brain connection
- The digestive system and the brain communicate through the gut-brain axis. Stress and anxiety can worsen these symptoms.
Microbiome Imbalance
- The gut has a lot of bacteria that help with digestion. Imbalances with that can cause IBS.
Food Sensitivity
- Some individuals with IBS experience symptoms from a specific type of food, such as dairy products, gluten, or artificial sweeteners
Inflammation
- It’s a chronic activation of the immune system in the tissues that causes discomfort and inflammation affecting the digestive health.
Genetics and Hormonal changes
- If an individual has a background history of digestive diseases or is on their menstrual cycle, it can both trigger symptoms

Diagnosis and Maintenance at home

IBS has many types of symptoms, so rather than a full cure to it, experts focus on curing the symptoms

Dietary Modifications
1. The low-FODMAP diet has shown success in reducing gas, bloating, and pain by eliminating certain carbohydrates found in dairy, wheat, etc.
2. Increasing fiber intake can help with constipation-based IBS by avoiding foods that can trigger the symptoms.
Medications
1. Antispasmodic drugs help reduce abdominal pain.
2. Antidiarrheal medications help manage stool irregularities.
3. Probiotics help restore gut bacteria balance.
Lifestyle
1. Regular exercise can improve digestion.
2. Gut-directed hypnotherapy is a successful treatment that doctors are using to calm gut-brain interactions.
3. Another major treatment is CBT, which can aid patients in managing stress and gut sensitivity.

Conclusion

IBS is a complex condition influenced by factors such as gut-brain interactions, microbiome imbalances, and inflammation, thus making it hard to manage. While there is no definite cure, advances in dietary strategies, medications, and emerging treatments can help better control the symptoms. As experts continue to comprehend the various symptoms, a deeper understanding of IBS in general can be developed and lead to a more effective, personalized treatment to ensure IBS individuals have the best quality of life as possible.

Written By: Lakshmi Immadisetty