Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a disturbance of the intestinal tract. Its symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating and abnormal bowel movements. Diarrhea may often alternate with constipation, while pain and bloating may be relieved by a bowel movement.
Nerve endings in the bowel are unusually sensitive, so that normal bowel events, such as passing fluid or gas, cause abnormal muscle reactions.
Cause & Impact :
IBS is known as a functional disorder. There is no direct cause of the syndrome. Symptoms appear to be caused by spasm of your bowel muscles. This results in increased sensitivity within the bowel to almost anything: eating, stress, emotional arousal or gaseous distention.The Treatment:
Evaluate your eating habits and levels of stress. Try to increase dietary fibre and avoid foods that trigger your symptoms. Also, remember to drink at least 8 glasses of fluid per day. Avoid or develop coping mechanisms for stress. Stress may be triggered by overwork, poor sleep habits or personal difficulties. Proper rest and exercise can help reduce stress levels and help with IBS.Change Your Diet :
Changing diets will help many people with IBS, but it varies from person to person. Avoid caffeine, nicotine and/or alcohol and foods such as dietary fats as these are common triggers of your symptoms. However, any food can trigger your IBS symptoms.Learning what is right, and wrong, for you is the best way to minimize the effects of IBS and maximize the benefit of your diet. Generally, adding bran or another natural source fibre, like the psyllium in Metamucil, can help to relieve the constipation associated with IBS.