All You Need to Know About Irritable Bowel Syndrome

IBS is a condition affecting the large intestine that is characterized by diarrhea and constipation, abdominal cramps, and tension. They are sometimes called spastic colonies. It is not a disease, and there is no cure for IBS, but it can be managed for life. IBS has a higher incidence among women under the age of 40, with family history, and those with anxiety and depression. The same goes for children, but it may include a history of gastroenteritis, or food poisoning. The reason is unclear. Usually, the muscles contract your gut and relax in rhythm, but in IBS the contraction may be stronger and longer, causing diarrhea, or weak and slow, causing constipation. Poor communication between your brain and gut can cause changes in your reaction time as you digest. Possible causes include anxiety, stress, hormones, laxative abuse, food or drug allergy, and lactose intolerance. In addition, diet is also a major factor, such as fiber, raw fruits, coffee, alcohol, spicy or highly seasoned foods, and cold foods.

Additional symptoms include abdominal pain, very thin stools and pencils such as, burning of the heart, mucous membranes, bloating, gas, fatigue, and weakness. The tests include stool testing for blood, parasites, or bacteria, blood tests, lower GI tests, where you swallow liquid barium and have x-rays, and sigmoidoscopy.

Complications of IBS include inflammation of the hemorrhoids, and lack of food. Children receive medical attention if they have poor growth, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, difficulty swallowing, or if they are vomiting or diarrhea at night.

Urgent care includes stress management, and lifestyle changes. Diet changes based on patient's symptoms. Food logs will help identify the food that is causing the symptoms. List what you eat and what symptoms appear after eating. Slowly add food to your diet to allow you to adjust. If you have cramps or diarrhea try eating a low fat, high carbohydrate diet. Avoid high gas foods like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and raw fruit. Fat foods, chocolate, alcohol, caffeine, and carbonated drinks. Foods containing lactose, such as milk and cheese should be avoided, as well as certain grains. For children to avoid food, and drink with sugar. Also, don't let your child eat too much food. Enhancing nutrition with supplements, and fluid intake helps manage symptoms. Medicines include high fiber supplements to control constipation, such as, psyllium (Metamucil), methyl cellulose (Citrucel), Magnesia Milk (MOM), and polyethylene glycol (Miralax). Hyoscyamine (Levsin), and dicyclomine (Bentyl) help stop cramps. Loperamid (Immodium) helps stop diarrhea. Other medications that can be used are nausea, and nausea medications. For anxiety and mild sedative pressure and / or antidepressants may be prescribed. Aloestron (Lotronex), and Lubiprostone (Amitiza) are new drugs in the market and treatments are now targeted at women. Get immediate medical attention if you have rectal bleeding, persistent abdominal pain, and weight loss.

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