Which sort of IBS do you have?

You may be forgiven for thinking that IBS is unlike other medical conditions under some sort of bizarre process which will never be understood or successfully treated by man. This is simply wrong. IBS is no different from any other disorder, and can be managed and treated according to the same principles. It is necessary to find the cause of the problem and then simply deal with it in a logical way. This is not always easy however as the causes of IBS can be greatly. Drug companies spend millions of dollars every year on developing treatments for IBS, but as yet no drug has been discovered that will be effective in every case of IBS and sadly there probably never will be.

Many doctors do not yet understand the difference between one form of IBS and another. This of course is a recipe for failure, as if you don’t realise the precise cause you can never recommend the precise treatments. Some cases of IBS respond very well to changes in diet (such as changing to more and bulk laxatives or perhaps excluding certain food trips). As in other cases IBS is clearly associated with anxiety symptoms. In some patients the abdominal pain symptoms of IBS I’m not even related to the bowel at all, but come from pressure on the nerves of the spine that supply the abdominal wall.

Some doctors classify IBS by dividing patients into 3 groups. Group 1 is free of the abdominal pain is accompanied by diarrhoea, a second trip via the pain is associated with constipation, and the third group with the abdominal pain can be associated with both baby and constipation.

Broadly speaking, patients suffering with diarrhoea and winds generally respond well to dietary help. Patients with constipation respond well to added fibre, whereas patients with constipation associated with winds respond best to a low fibre diet and bulk laxatives. Dietary changes will have a major impact on IBS symptoms for around 60 to 70% of patients.

The crucial question in managing your IBS is deciding on your predominant stool habits. It is necessary to record your stool puttering cheerfully for up to 10 days or more, to determine the possible causes of your IBS. Stools can be classified according to the Bristol stool form scale as follows;

• Type one stools for separate hard lumps like nuts
• Type two stools are sausage shaped but lumpy
• Type three stools are sausage like but with cracks on the surface
• Type four stools are sausage or sneak like, smooth surfaced
• Type five stools are soft blobs with clear-cut edges
• Type six stools are fluffy with the ragged edges
• Type seven stools are watery with no solid pieces, entirely liquid

The ideal stools are types three and four, especially type 4.

Nausea and vomiting really over in IBS patients. With the exception of those IBS patients or the cause is thought to be anxiety where air swallowing can distend the stomach.

Further reading:

• What Is IBS (Spastic Colon) – Symptoms, Proper Diet, Coping With Stress (healthhype.com)
• Causes of Chronic (Prolonged, Persistent, Constant) Diarrhea (healthhype.com)
• Interstitial Cystitis & IBS Around the Web (fightingfatigue.org)

Diagnosis of IBS

IBS diagnosis really depends on the discussion of symptoms with your doctor. There is no characteristic symptom pattern that accurately confirms IBS. The diagnosis is based completely on the patient/Doctor consultation and other relevant details such as the medical history.

Because there is no single test that definitely confirms IBS the diagnosis is far from straightforward. For some doctors the definition of IBS is simply any abdominal pain for which no other cause can be discovered. Doctors may check patient’s history, analyse their blood and stools, and even test the urine, only to discover that all tests are completely normal. In some cases endoscopy (an internal examination of the bowel using a viewing device) may also be performed with no abnormalities being discovered.

Because the diagnosis of IBS is classified by symptoms rather than a complete understanding of the cause, IBS is given the label of a syndrome.

There is a criteria that has been established by a group of medical specialists at a meeting in Rome which is used by doctors as an aid to the diagnosis of IBS. However even this criteria cannot reliably distinguish between IBS and other colon diseases such as Crohn’s disease or colitis.

Please find details of this Rome criteria shown below;

Patients must have suffered abdominal discomfort or pain for at least 12 weeks with two of the following three features – pain relieved by defecation, onset of pain associated with a change in the frequency of stool, or onset of pain associated with a change in the form or appearance of stool.

The following symptoms are not normally seen in IBS and must always be investigated further;

Weight loss
blood in stools
abdominal pain or diarrhoea during the nights
anaemia
Fever

In summary, IBS symptoms are not on the minds and can be successfully treated, the diagnosis of IBS does not mean that you suffer from a dangerous condition but it can have a serious impact on the quality of your life. Essentially IBS involves pain in the abdomen which no other cause can be found. The may also be diarrhoea and or constipation with abdominal bloating. In all cases if you have any of these symptoms it is imperative you to your doctor for advice and to rule out more dangerous conditions.

Related articles

• Mucous Colitis ~ Medical Terminology (healthhype.com)
• Bowel Problems ~ Symptoms Diagnosis by a Doctor (healthhype.com)
• DrSugar Answers: Antidepressant, IBS, and Weight Gain? (fitsugar.com)
• 4 Common Diarrhea Causes – and What to Do if You Get Sick (health.usnews.com)

Confusion around IBS

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), is an ailment involving the bowels or intestines, in particular the colon or large bowel. IBS can be difficult to diagnose correctly as the major symptoms which includes, diarrhoea, bloating, abdominal pain and constipation are quite common complaints in the modern world.

These symptoms can also be the result of many other conditions, including bowel cancer. If you regularly experience any of these symptoms you should see your doctor as a precaution for the following medical checks, kidney function tests, thyroid function tests, liver function tests, tests for inflammation and examination of faeces for bacteria and parasites. For patients over the age of 45, it is advisable to have a large bowel examination by x-ray or colonoscopy to exclude cancer.

In the old days, many doctors believe that that IBS was simply a physcosomatic disease, caused by anxiety, depression or panic. The reason for this belief was the fact that no signs of disease could be found in the bowel to explain the symptoms. Nowadays, although it is known that psychological factors can affect IBS, this disease is no longer dismissed as largely all in the mind.

Many people still shoe that as no serious disease is found in the barrels that IBS is a trivial problem. This is far from the truth, although IBS is not a dangerous disease the effects and symptoms can be devastating for the patient.

The abdominal pain of irritable bowel syndrome can be most severe and have serious impacts on the patient’s everyday life. IBS is certainly not a minor problem in fact it is the commonest reason for referral to gastroenterology department’s worldwide. For example the annual costs of IBS in the UK alone are estimated at £46 million and in the USA over $1.6 billion!

If you believe you me have IBS you should visit your doctor to check that you are indeed suffering from IBS and get advice on any medication which may help the symptoms.

Related articles

• IBS Around the Web (fightingfatigue.org)
• What Is IBS (Spastic Colon) – Symptoms, Proper Diet, Coping With Stress (healthhype.com)
• Interstitial Cystitis & IBS Around the Web (fightingfatigue.org)
• Bowel Problems ~ Symptoms Diagnosis by a Doctor (healthhype.com)
• Causes of Chronic (Prolonged, Persistent, Constant) Diarrhea (healthhype.com)