What is IBS?

IBS is a common chronic disorder of stomach and intestine. It mainly affects large intestine. IBS is characterized by pain in the abdomen, fullness or bloating of abdomen, diarrhoea alternating with constipation,
Patients suffer from IBS due to irregular bowel movements.

IBS affects 5-20% of the adult population and females are more affected than males.

There are types of IBS-

– IBS with constipation
– IBS with diarrhoea as
– IBS with diarrhoea alternating with constipation.

Patient suffering from IBS with constipation, experience unsatisfactory emptying of bowel. Those having IBS with diarrhoea experience frequent desire to pass stool.

As there is a change in the bowel habits in IBS it obviously affects ones lifestyle. Person may lose his concentration over work due to the irregularity he faces by IBS.

It is not a life-threatening syndrome.

Emotional stress and IBS

Any kind of emotional stress can trigger gastrointestinal tract and thus causes painful contraction in IBS. If the contractions are more than usual frequency then it leads to IBS-D and if the contractions are below normal contractions then it causes IBS-C.

Causes of IBS

1. Genetic- It could be a genetic problem which runs in a family.

2. Stress- Stress at professional level & family level, anxiety, depression can trigger or maintain IBS.
3. Food- This could be a major cause of IBS. People who are sensitive to certain food items like milk products, sea foods, certain fruits, alcohol consumption, smoking cigarette or chewing tobacco can have irregular bowel habits.

4. Medications- People taking medications of anti-depression, anti-inflammatory, steroids etc. can suffer with IBS.

5. Surgeries/operations- It can develop after any GI related surgeries like colectomy (surgical resection of the part of the large intestine), cholecystectomy (surgical removal of the gallbladder).

Symptoms of IBS

1. Abdominal pain- Spasms of the abdominal muscles. Pain especially around umbilical region and lower abdomen. It is felt specially after eating and is better after passing stools.
2. Diarrhoea alternating with constipation- In IBS there is diarrhoea followed by constipation or vice versa.
3. Mucus in the stool.
4. Bloated abdomen/fullness of abdomen- Since the bowel habits are changed from diarrhoea to constipation there is a formation of gas and fullness feeling in the abdomen.
5. There is unsatisfactory stools and desire to pass motion frequently.
6. Other symptoms may be associated with IBS are, headaches, nausea, acidity, anorexia, weight loss, low concentration etc.

Diagnosis of IBS

1. Case history helps in the diagnosis of the case.
2. Endoscopy of the colon that is colonoscopy can be done to diagnose the condition and to rule out other disease conditions like ulcerative colitis, peptic ulcers, cancer of colon etc.
3. X-ray of the colon, CT scan of abdomen and pelvis to see and rule out the abnormality if any.

Conventional treatment

Diet control:

1. Gluten sensitivity- Some people are sensitive to gluten (wheat, barley). Avoid these gluten food items.
2. Avoid certain vegetables like cabbage, radish, cauliflower, and beans which may cause gas formation.
3. Restrict FODMAPs (fermentable oligo-, di-, and mono and polysaccharides) food items with excess lactose; fructose; galactos which include milk of goat, apple, watermelon, beetroot, cabbage, sprouts etc to avoid IBS.

Medications:

1. Antidepressant medications help in depression problem.
2. Antispasmodic and Anticholinergic medications help in giving relief in pain and spasm during motions.

Homeopathic treatment

Homeopathic medicines help in treating the root cause of the syndrome like stress, depression and certain food sensitivity thus brings back the abnormality to normality.

Since it is a syndrome, it may take longer time to get back to the normalcy without any side-effects.

It helps in an acute episode of abdominal spasm and pain. Also helps in relieving the frequent gas formation.