What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gut disorder, although the cause is still not known. When X-rays, blood tests, endoscopies and other diagnostic tests are carried out, the results do not reveal any obvious abnormality. For that reason IBS is often called ‘a functional disorder’ of the bowel; in other words, an illness associated with a disturbance of bowel function without any change in structure or obvious cause.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome may include:
Abdominal pain and spasms, often relieved by going to the toilet
Diarrhoea, constipation or an alternation between the two
Bloating or swelling of the abdomen
Rumbling noises and excessive passage of wind
Urgency (an urgent need to visit the toilet) / Incontinence (If a toilet is not nearby)
Sharp pain felt low down inside the rectum
Sensation of incomplete bowel movement
Who gets IBS?
At any one time between 10% and 20% of people living in western countries fulfil the diagnostic criteria for IBS. IBS is more frequently diagnosed in women compared with men (twice as many), in young compared with old and in western countries compared with the developing world. It is commonly associated with emotional tension, is frequently triggered by life changes, difficult life situations or stressful life events.
Tags: IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome
