Wednesday 20 April 2011

Bad gut feeling, Irritable bowel syndrome!



Irritation in the bowels has become a common complaint in the clinics nowadays. With increasing number of victims, currently one out of every six US citizens show positive results of the Irritable bowel syndrome commonly called IBS. Although the exact reason unknown so far, IBS is usually found amongst those who have recently suffered intestinal infections. In such cases, IBS is called 'post-infectious IBS'. IBS is often confused with IBD or Inflammatory Bowel Disease, which occurs during ulcerative colitis.

Some note-worthy facts about IBS

  • IBS is a disorder and not a disease. It does not result into serious infection or disease.
  • IBS is an uncontrolled spasm of visceral muscles and has nothing to do with intestinal cancer.
  • IBS results into irresistible intestinal convulsions that reduce a person's work efficiency and traveling capacity.
  • IBS is not infectious, the patient acquires it by himself.
  • Dietary fibers that are considered effective to IBS, can actually worsen the case in some patients.
  • There is no absolute IBS treatment, although certain changes in lifestyle can make a difference.
  • Lack of sleep, Irregular eating habits, over eating and intestine sensitive compounds like caffeine are considered to enhance the IBS symptoms. 
  • Unhealthy eating habits can also leads to gluten intolerance.
  • IBS treatment involves drugs used to cure constipation, diarrhea, intestinal pain and intestinal convulsion suppressors.
  • Herbal medicines like Chinese herbal tea, peppermint oil and grapefruit extracts are considered effective in IBS treatment but they are not always effective.
  • Symptoms include Gastro-intestinal pain, abdominal pain, genitourinary disorders, headache, backache and depression.
  • Stress and tension can increase the impact of IBS.
  • IBS is not a genetic disorder.

There are no exact analytical tools to detect IBS, but elimination of other related disorders can confirm IBS.

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