What is irritable bowel syndrome and how to get rid of it

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic disease that is not fully understood by medicine, Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Symptoms and Causes, which causes the colon to malfunction. And, as a result, some digestive disorders.

Irritable bowel syndrome is considered one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases in the world: About IBS suffers from it. Statistics 10-15% of adults.

The challenge is that IBS symptoms are often blurry and irregular. Because of this, the person does not even assume that he is living with some kind of chronic disorder. As a result, she does not receive the necessary treatment.

How to recognize irritable bowel syndrome

The disease can manifest itself in different ways. The most common symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Symptoms:

Cramps and pain in the abdomen. As a rule, they occur after eating and decrease after going to the toilet.
Bloating.
Excess gas formation (flatulence).
Diarrhea or constipation. Sometimes they can alternate.
Mucus in the stool.
Periodic and seemingly unreasonable nausea.
Problems with urination and bowel movements. It seems that you cannot completely empty yourself.

For most people with IBS, these symptoms sometimes worsen or disappear. If you notice similar symptoms in yourself and remember that stomach troubles have happened more than once, consult your doctor (therapist or immediately a gastroenterologist). Perhaps you have it, the IBS.

Where does irritable bowel syndrome come from?

Try to track which lifestyle changes your symptoms are associated with. The fact is that medicine has not yet figured out what exactly causes IBS. Several Irritable Bowel Syndrome factors are thought to play a role. Symptoms and Causes.

Neurological disorders … Because of them, the connections between the brain and the intestine can deteriorate. And this, in turn, leads to the fact that your body begins to overreact to normal digestive processes.
Intestinal motility disorders … The walls of the intestine are lined with layers of muscles that contract and relax, thereby moving the contents of the intestine. This process is called motor skills. If it fails, muscle contractions can last longer than usual. It feels like cramping and leads to gas and diarrhea. If the muscles, on the other hand, relax too much, food passes through the intestines more slowly. The result is hard, dry stools.
Autoimmune processes … Some people have too many immune cells in their gut. To find a job, they attack healthy cells. Such an overly active response of the immune system, as a rule, makes itself felt with painful sensations and diarrhea.
Congenital specificity of intestinal microflora … Microflora refers to the "good" bacteria that live in the intestines and play a key role in digestion. Studies show that the bacterial composition of the gut in people with IBS may differ from that of a healthy person.

But the manifestations of irritable bowel syndrome can be seriously aggravated for the following reasons:

Abuse of foods to which there is an implicit intolerancePerceived food intolerance in subjects with irritable bowel syndrome- etiology, prevalence and consequences. … These include, for example, caffeinated drinks, soda, fatty or fried foods, foods that cause gas (legumes, cabbage, carrots, whole grain breads and cereals), foods that contain lactose or gluten.
Stress, anxiety, depression … The symptoms of IBS and nervous disorders often go together. But scientists have not yet decided whether stress is a provocateur of irritable bowel syndrome or, conversely, the disease itself makes the nervous system be on edge.
Hormonal changes. It has been noticed that in women, the symptoms of IBS intensify during critical days or shortly before them and almost disappear during menopause.

Depending on what exactly your body is reacting to, treatment will be prescribed.

How to treat irritable bowel syndrome

Unfortunately, there are no medications that will permanently rid you of IBS. In most cases, treatment is symptomatic, that is, aimed at reducing symptoms. There are three main approaches.

1. Control of diet and lifestyle

Your gastroenterologist may recommend the following:

Keep a food diary in which you write down in detail what you ate during the day. This is to keep track of foods that you might have a negative reaction to.
Avoid foods that exacerbate symptoms.
Try eliminating soda, gluten, dairy, fried, fatty foods from your diet, and watch yourself.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Get enough sleep.
Exercise regularly.

2. Stress control and psychotherapy

Since worrying aggravates IBS symptoms, it is important to learn how to control emotions and respond less to life's troubles and stimuli.

You can try to curb stress on your own (we wrote how to do this, for example, here and here). Or you can turn to a psychotherapist: a specialist will help you understand yourself and teach you a healthy attitude towards the world.

3. Drug therapy

Medication can also help relieve some of the symptoms of IBS. Here are the medications your doctor can prescribe for you:

Antispasmodics - They help relieve abdominal pain and cramps and normalize bowel movements.
Fiber Supplements - They help relieve constipation.
Laxatives.
Remedies for diarrhea.
Adsorbents - help with excess gas and bloating.
Sedatives and antidepressants - reduce stress levels.
Prescription pain relievers - prescribed if the pain in the intestines is strong.
Specific medications that decrease or increase the production of fluid in the intestines and may thus slow down or facilitate the passage of stools.

When you urgently need to see a doctor

Do not even think or listen to yourself, but immediately go to an appointment with a gastroenterologist if the symptoms of possible IBS (they are listed above) are accompanied by the following disorders:

You are losing weight quickly. This sign should be especially alarming if you haven't been on a diet or exercise.
You have bouts of nocturnal diarrhea.
You see blood in the stool.
You have been diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia.
Sometimes unexplained vomiting occurs.
Have trouble swallowing.
Constant cramps and cramps in the abdomen that do not go away with gas or bowel movements.

All this can signal the presence of a much more serious and even dangerous disease (up to colon cancer).

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If you suffer from pain, bloating or stool problems with irritable bowel syndrome, Mebeverin-SZ from Severnaya Zvezda can help. The drug relieves spasms and restores normal intestinal transit without disturbing peristalsis. Mebeverin-SZ is taken one tablet three times a day 20 minutes before meals. If you miss an appointment, it's okay, just return to your usual treatment regimen with the next dose. Get rid of cramps

There are contraindications. Before use, you must consult a specialist.