What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)? Symptoms, Causes and Treatment Methods

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a condition that causes considerable discomfort during the day and can affect many people. It may lead to symptoms such as crampy abdominal pain and bloating. Although this syndrome has no definitive cause, it can usually be easily managed with dietary and lifestyle changes.

What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder consisting of a series of symptoms affecting the stomach and intestines. This syndrome is quite common. Although it does not cause tissue damage in the digestive system or serious diseases such as cancer, it is a condition that can cause discomfort to the patient for a long time. In irritable bowel syndrome, classification can be made according to the appearance of the stool. This classification is in the form of constipation, diarrhea, and mixed bowel habits. In constipation, the stool is mostly hard. In diarrhea, watery stool is in question. Mixed bowel habits vary as diarrhea-constipation during the day or from day to day.

What Are the Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Irritable bowel symptoms can often be in a style that causes discomfort to the patient, meaning the symptoms may not be experienced every hour of the day and can suddenly appear severely. The symptoms that may occur are:

Diarrhea or Constipation: In diarrhea experienced in irritable bowel syndrome, the patient's stool may be watery. In constipation, difficulty in defecation is experienced.

Abdominal Pain: Abdominal pain can often be crampy in nature.

Changes in Bowel Habits: Patients may frequently experience diarrhea one day and constipation the next.

Gas Buildup and Bloating: Bloating may be experienced after meals.

In addition to these symptoms, conditions such as white-appearing mucus in the stool and feeling the bowels full after defecation may be experienced. Symptoms may increase during women's menstruation periods.

What Causes Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Although the exact causes of irritable bowel syndrome are not known, some factors that may cause this condition are predicted.

Muscle Contraction: Digestive system muscles contract while digesting food. Muscles contracting more than normal can cause complaints such as bloating and gas. Less contractions can slow down the passage of food and cause constipation.

Sensitivity: There may be sensitive nerves in the digestive system. Therefore, patients are more vulnerable to discomforts such as abdominal pain.

Gut Bacteria: Bacteria found in the gastrointestinal tract can cause symptoms. Which bacteria may cause this symptom can vary from person to person.

Infections: Severe infections affecting the digestive system can cause irritable bowel syndrome.

Food Intolerance: Irritable bowel syndrome may develop in people who have sensitivities or allergies to certain foods.

Stress: Intense stress, especially experienced in childhood, can trigger the syndrome in later years.

Genetics: IBS symptoms can be observed in individuals with a family history of gastrointestinal disorders.

How is Irritable Bowel Syndrome Diagnosed?

To diagnose irritable bowel syndrome, the doctor takes some information from the patient during the examination. This information may include many topics such as the presence, severity, and frequency of bowel pain, changes in stool, and medications used. In addition to this examination, they may request you to have some tests for a correct diagnosis.

Blood Tests: Can be performed to investigate the presence of another disease that may cause symptoms or to research whether the treatment is working.

Stool Test: Can be performed to see infection and inflammation in the bowels and to check if there is an absorption problem.

Hydrogen Breath Test: Can be performed to detect the abundance of bacteria in the bowels or whether there is a food intolerance. In this test, a breath sample is taken after a certain substance is given to the patient and the hydrogen level is measured.

Colonoscopy: Can be performed so that IBS is not confused with other digestive system disorders or for tumor detection.

Sigmoidoscopy: It is a test similar to colonoscopy. It allows visualization of the rectum lining and the lower part of the colon.

Upper Endoscopy: Information about many digestive system diseases can be obtained with this test. It allows the examination of the esophagus, stomach, and the first part of the small intestine.

The patient does not have to undergo all of these tests. It is sufficient to have only the tests recommended by the doctor according to the situation.

How is Irritable Bowel Syndrome Treated?

There is no definitive solution for the treatment of IBS disease, but patients can ensure that symptoms lessen or disappear by making dietary and activity changes in their lives. In addition to these changes, medications prescribed by the doctor can also be used. Medications may include antidepressants, anti-spasmodic drugs, constipation or diarrhea preventers. Changes that can be made in diet and activity habits may include:

Increasing Fiber Intake: Eating fiber-rich foods can prevent constipation. You can include fibrous foods such as nuts and whole grains in your meals. You should not neglect to gradually add different foods to your diet so that the bowels can adapt well.

Limiting Milk and Dairy Products: Since patients with lactose intolerance are more likely to develop IBS, it is important to ensure that lactose-containing foods are not consumed. When you remove such foods from your diet, you need to complement your diet with calcium-rich foods.

Limiting Gas-Producing Foods: Foods like beans and cabbage are generally gas-producing in nature, but in some people, even chewing gum and consuming carbonated drinks can increase the amount of gas formed. Therefore, it is recommended that the person observe which foods produce more gas and limit these foods.

Eating a Gluten-Free Diet: Patients with IBS are often sensitive to gluten. Therefore, they need to consume gluten-containing foods less. When you eat a gluten-free diet, you may experience deficiencies as you may not get some vitamins and minerals. You can make a proper diet plan by talking to your healthcare specialist.

Drinking Water: In addition to proper nutrition, drinking enough water plays a good role in preventing constipation. An adult without extra disease is recommended to consume between 2 and 2.5 liters of water per day.

Not Smoking: Smoking can cause constipation by affecting the stomach and intestines in some people. Therefore, it needs to be quit. If you need help to quit, you can consult your doctor.

Taking Notes: By taking notes on the foods you consume during the day, you can identify foods that increase your symptoms.

Regular Exercise: Exercising on the days and at the pace recommended by your doctor can have a positive effect on improving bowel health.

Relaxation Techniques: You can try methods that allow the body to relax, such as yoga and meditation.

Adequate Sleep: Even if good nutrition is provided, sleeping inadequately increases stress levels. When stress increases, the gastrointestinal tract is affected and can cause symptoms to appear.

Frequently Asked Questions About Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome does not cause another disease and does not pose a life threat. It only affects the patient's daily life. Carbonated drinks, legumes, broccoli, and cabbage-like foods can cause gas entrapment. In addition, eating fast or swallowing air can also cause gas accumulation in the stomach. Substances released when bacteria ferment food in the small intestines can increase gas formation. At the same time, gas accumulation can also occur when bowel movements slow down. IBS is a condition that can last a lifetime unless attention is paid to diet. Although irritable bowel syndrome is not always related to psychology, it can appear in some patients experiencing anxiety or depression. Although irritable bowel syndrome does not cause any life-threatening side effects, in cases where it is not treated, it lowers the patient's quality of life and causes them to feel restless during the day. IBS can be seen in many people, but in some cases, the probability of seeing it is higher. The development of irritable bowel syndrome is more likely in people under 50 years of age, women, and those with a family history of IBS. You can make an appointment from the gastroenterology department to be examined for irritable bowel syndrome. The appearance of symptoms varies depending on the patient's diet and activities. If attention is not paid to diet and activities, symptoms can be experienced every day, but patients who follow a good treatment path can experience symptoms less frequently. Many diseases can cause long-term constipation. One of these is IBS. Precautions need to be taken against constipation. Consuming probiotic and fibrous foods can prevent constipation. Gas entrapment generally lasts a few hours or a few days, but if not treated, gas entrapment can be experienced for longer periods. To treat diarrhea, it is necessary to stay away from factors that trigger this condition. For example, eating very fatty foods can cause diarrhea. Diarrhea can be prevented by consuming fat-free or low-fat foods. The condition causing diarrhea can be different in every patient. Therefore, patients should try to understand their own digestive systems better. At the same time, a FODMAP diet can be applied by consulting a dietician. This diet is a carbohydrate-poor eating style. Too much and continuously exposed stress can also lead to diarrhea. This can be prevented by staying away from stress and with relaxation techniques. If there is no improvement in diarrhea despite these changes, it is recommended to consult a specialist doctor.

If irritable bowel syndrome is lowering your quality of life, you need to consult a specialist Gastroenterology and Hepatology doctor without self-diagnosing. You can create your appointment now for personalized diagnosis and treatment methods.