IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME INFO

Irritable bowel syndrome is a group of functional bowel disorders. As much as 20 percent of the adult population, or one in five Americans, has symptoms of IBS. Also, IBS makes up around20-50% of visits to a digestive specialist. I think that credible and informative insight into IBS will educate those who are in the dark about this disorder. This section on IBS will deliver up to date, detailed information on this national problem.

WHAT IS IBS?

IBS is a disorder most commonly characterized by cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea and constipation. IBS can cause a great deal of discomfort and distress, but it does not permanently harm the intestines, and in most cases doesn’t lead to any serious diseases. IBS is one of the most common disorders diagnosed by doctors. Also, IBS occurs more often in women than in men, and it begins before the age of 35 in about 50 percent of people.

WHAT DOES THE COLON (BOWEL) DO?

The colon is roughly 5 feet long and it connects the small intestine to the rectum and anus. The primary job of the colon is to absorb water, nutrients, and salts from the partially digested food that enters from the small intestine. Studies reveal that approximately two pints of liquid matter enter the colon from the small intestine each day. Stool volume runs about a third of a pint. The amount of nutrients that are absorbed through the colon can be calculated by taking the difference between the fluid entering the colon and total accumulation of stool. Nerves, hormones, and impulses in the colon muscles drive the contraction of the bowel and help move its contents along toward the rectum. As a result, several times a day these contractions push the stool down the colon, ending in a bowel movement. However, if the muscles of the pelvis, sphincter, and colon do not contract in the right way, the contents inside the colon do not move correctly, leading to constipation, cramps, abdominal pain, a sense of incomplete stool movement, or even diarrhea.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME?

The symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome are abdominal pain, bloating and discomfort associated with changes in bowel habits. In addition, symptoms of IBS can vary from person to person. Irritable Bowel Syndrome depending on the discomfort can be classified into: diarrhea-predominant (IBS-D), which is frequent watery stools, and constipation-predominant (IBS-C), which means hard, difficult-to-pass, or infrequent bowel movements. Typically these people report of straining and cramping when trying to have a bowel movement, but cannot eliminate any stool, or they are only to eliminate a small amount. If a bowel movement does occur, there may be mucus in it, which is a fluid that moistens and protects passages in the digestive system.

WHAT CAUSES IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME?

As of yet, there aren’t any specific causes for Irritable Bowel syndrome that researchers have discovered. They have a theory that people who suffer from IBS have a large bowel that is particularly sensitive and reactive to certain foods and stress. The immune system, which fights infection, may also be involved. Listed below are several causes of IBS that have been theorized.

-An individual’s colon may respond strongly to stimuli such as certain foods or stress that would not bother most people.

-Researchers have stipulated that Irritable bowel Syndrome may be caused by a bacterial infection in the gastrointestinal tract. Studies have shown that people who have had gastroenteritis sometimes develop IBS.

-Also, people with IBS frequently suffer from depression and anxiety, which can make the symptoms worsen.

-The lining of the colon, called the epithelium, which is affected by the immune system, controls the flow of fluids in and out of the colon. In Irritable Bowel Syndrome, the epithelium appears to function properly. However, when the contents inside the colon move to quickly, the colon looses its ability to absorb fluids. As a result, there is too much fluid in the stool. In contrast, if the movement inside the colon is to slow, this causes extra fluid to be absorbed and the person develops constipation.

-Studies also point to mild celiac disease in some people with symptoms similar to IBS. Individuals with celiac disease cannot digest gluten, a substance found in wheat, rye, and barley. People who have celiac disease cannot eat these foods without becoming very sick because their immune system responds by damaging the small intestine.

-Also, current research indicates that serotonin is linked with normal gastrointestinal functioning. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, or chemical, that delivers messages from one part of your body to another. Roughly ninety-five percent of the serotonin in your body is located in the GI tract, and the other 5 percent is located in the brain. Special cells that line the inside of the bowel work as transporters and carry serotonin out of the GI tract. People with IBS, however, have diminished receptor activity, causing abnormal levels of serotonin to exist in the GI tract. As a result, people with IBS experience problems with bowel movement, motility, and sensation having more sensitive pain receptors in their GI tract.

I enjoy looking for more relevant information on IBS, when it becomes available I will be sure to let you know.

The information was updated May 5, 2007.

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