Understanding Irritable Bowel Syndrome

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Modern medical doctors are not sure what causes Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Opinions abound but the most common ones include being sensitive to certain foods, reactions to stress, immune system differences, or a person's colon and bowel not working normally in general.

IBS is a condition suffered by one in five Americans, and is thought to be undiagnosed and untreated in as much as 70 percent of sufferers. IBS is a problem for women more often than men, but it is not associated with more severe colon related diseases. There is no inflammation of the colon when someone has IBS, and no other growths or obstructions.

There are different symptoms for each IBS sufferer too. You may find more and more foods disagree with you or you may feel bloated as though you have eaten a very large meal, even when you last ate hours ago or after quite a small meal.

Common symptoms include abdominal cramping, bloating and pain. Some people with IBS will have chronic diarrhea though, while others will have chronic constipation instead. Still others will bounce back and forth between those two states.

Signs and Symptoms

• Have you experienced variable bowel motions - perhaps ranging from constipation to diarrhea within a short space of time?


• Do you pass more wind downwards (known as flatulence) than you would like?


• Do you suffer from pain in your abdomen on occasions or regularly?

These symptoms have been labeled with other names over the years, the most common being a spastic colon. The symptoms often increase when eating certain foods, eating big meals, or experiencing heavy amounts of stress or depression. Since nerve endings connect the colon to every part of the body, almost anything can cause problems similar to IBS. Because of this, a variety of treatments are often tried.

Depending on the person, their doctor, and the severity of their IBS symptoms, strong prescription medications may be used to help relieve the constipation or diarrhea. We don't agree with this approach however, and feel the more natural means should be tried first. Many doctors however, will suggest these alternative approaches before suggesting medications.

The first approach to managing IBS is changes in your diet. If your IBS is caused due to intolerance or allergies of certain foods for instance, removing those from your diet can create drastic improvements. Often people have a lactose or gluton intolerance without knowing it.

Some people are also more sensitive to foods which contain heavy amounts of grease, or they're IBS problems flare up more after greasy meals. Another common trigger for IBS symptoms is eating large and heavy meals. Simply by cutting down the amount you eat in one sitting, and eating fewer but smaller meals each day, can help relieve IBS symptoms.

Eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables can help with IBS, particularly when constipation is a chronic problem. Many people try taking extra fiber supplements, but these can actually cause the gas and bloating problems to become worse.

Eating fruits and vegetables which regulate the stools can be quite beneficial however. Bananas for instance, will help relieve both diarrhea and constipation.

Other natural treatments recommended for managing IBS are stress management, exercise, and hypnosis.