Risk Factors of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
One is more likely to have Irritable Bowel Syndrome if you're young and belong to the feminine gender. In most cases of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, symptoms are noticeable before women are 35 for 50 percent of people. Women are more prone to the condition than men. Genetics also may play a role in contracting Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Stress stimulates colonic spasm in people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Although not completely understood, it is believed to be because the colon is partly controlled by the nervous system. Counseling and stress reduction techniques can help relieve the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, however, this does not mean Irritable Bowel Syndrome is the result of a personality disorder. It is at least partly a disorder of colon motility. Irritable Bowel Syndromesymptoms sometimes intensify during menstruation, which suggests that female reproductive hormones are another trigger.
Risk of suffering from IBS is more common among the following:
- In people younger than 35 years. About 50% of those suffering from IBS are below 35 years and 40% develop the symptoms between 35 to 50 years.
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome is 2 to 3 times more common in women than in men.
- People suffering from panic disorder or other psychological conditions.
- People having a family history of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
- People who having a history of physical or sexual abuse or other psychological trauma.
- People with other conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome (which causes severe fatigue), fibromyalgia (which causes widespread muscle and soft-tissue pain and tenderness), and temporo-mandibular disorder, which causes pain and discomfort in the jaw muscles and joint.
Conventional Treatments of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
The treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome is done according to the severity of the problem. Lifestyle and diet changes often regulate mild to moderate symptoms. Over-the-counter medications are used to control diarrhea as well as constipation. If those medications do not work, other drugs can be prescribed. Drugs are also prescribed for controlling abdominal pain that is a part of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Psychological counseling is also used to treat those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This helps patients in coping with anxiety related to the disease. Patients who have a severe case of Irritable Bowel Syndrome are prescribed more aggressive treatment. They are often given antidepressant drugs to reduce the affects of pain on the mind associated with this disease. Drugs used to treat the Irritable Bowel Syndrome are;
- Constipation is treated with Tegaserod, Cisapride or Propulsid.
- Diarrhea is treated with Loperamide (Imodium) and diarrhea with abdominal discomfort is treated with Alosetron or Lotronex.
- Abdominal pain is treated with smooth muscle relaxants such as nitroglycerine, hyoscyamine and methscopolamine.
Patients Medical’s Irritable Bowel Syndrome Treatment
Those who come to patients medical with an ailment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome are treated in the holistic methods. We believe that correct diagnosis of the disease is very important in this case. Our treatment is based on intake of natural food and several such herbs that are known to reduce ailments of constipation and diarrhea.
IBS cannot be cured with medications or special diets. The primary preventative measure is to identify and avoid individual triggers. Treatment options may include:
- A modest increase in dietary fiber, together with plenty of clear fluids.
- Reducing or eliminating common gas-producing foods, such as beans and cabbage.
- Reducing or eliminating hypersensitive foods.
- Drugs or treatments to treat constipation in the short term.
- Antispasmodic drugs, which may ease cramping.
- Stress management, if stress seems to be causing the attacks.
- Avoiding sudden changes of routine.
- Alternative therapies, such as peppermint oil and other nutritional supplements.
A holistic approach to managing Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Irritable Bowel Syndrome like symptoms can be envisioned as three steps, first to identify causative factors and triggers for Irritable Bowel Syndrome attacks, second to make diet, lifestyle and supplement modifications and third, to observe and refine the process. The degree and amount effort you put into this approach can vary with the severity of your symptoms and adjusted as improvement is made. The good news is that Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms can be managed effectively. 10% of these with IBS symptoms have significant improvement each year with almost 50% asymptomatic 5 years after diagnosis and treatment. No link has been found between Irritable Bowel Syndrome and colon or rectal cancer; in fact their better awareness may make Irritable Bowel Syndrome sufferers more aware of cancer prevention. Below is a listing of some of the causative agents and lifestyle, food and supplement modifications to help manage them.
Stress - Anxiety and stress are major components in many Irritable Bowel Syndrome attacks, but is role for any individual has to be determined by that individual by observation. For most of us, reducing stress is a move in the direction of better health and there are many resources available to help with this. A start could be taking a minute or two during the day to take some deep breaths and relax. Yoga and meditation have been used to reduce stress for thousand of years. Depending on the severity of symptoms and the role stress plays, looking at stress/anxiety factors in your life and moving gradually to simplify and reduce some of them could be indicated. Other stress reducing options include increased exercise and various psychological therapies (including hypnosis therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy).
Foods - An approach here might be to jot down various foods consumed and note when they are followed by Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms. Another approach is to eliminate various foods (especially those that seem to be trigger foods for many IBS sufferers) for a time and see if there is a lessening of symptoms. Irritable Bowel Syndrome patients often eliminate all lactose containing (dairy) foods as a first step as lactose seems to be at least a factor for a great many people. Stimulants like caffeine and tobacco likewise often irritate the intestinal tract and can make symptoms like diarrhea worse as can non-nutritive sweeteners like Sorbitol and xylitol. On a more selective basis we suggest looking at foods like beans, raw fruit and vegetables, chocolate, MSG, refined carbohydrates (starches and sugars), carbonated beverages and alcohol to see what if any role they play. In a more general sense eating too much at any particular meal, eating too often or eating too much of a particular type of food (fats, oils or fried foods for instance) can put a strain on the digestive system, impair digestion and absorption and aggravate symptoms. The goal in this holistic approach is to gradually refine your diet and eating habits and reduce or eliminate the foods and behaviors that contribute to Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms.
Supplementation - There are a number of supplements to the diet which have been used successfully by Irritable Bowel Syndrome patients to alleviate symptoms. From what we know today, by far the most important supplementation for the Irritable Bowel Syndrome sufferer is probiotic supplementation. Studies indicate that lactobacillus bacteria even as the only treatment can have a significant effect on Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms (Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome...American Journal of Gastroenterology, 91: 1579-1585, 1966.). As mentioned above, pathogenic bacteria in the intestinal system can be both a causative factor and the result of Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that attack and reduce pathogenic bacteria allowing for the restoration of intestinal balance necessary to proper digestion. For these reasons, supplementation with an effective probiotic is an essential part of effectively managing Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Irritable Bowel Syndrome like symptoms. Other supplements which have been successful for some patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome include, peppermint oil, slippery elm powder (for healing irritated tissues), mint leaves, ginger, chamomile and insoluble fiber either through enough whole grain and vegetables or ground flax seeds or use of a Metamucil type fiber supplement.
Important Notice:
Nutrition, herb and drug information is constantly evolving because of ongoing research and clinical experience and is often subject to interpretation. The information and recommendations in this page are based on information found in medical, herbal and nutrition literature and the author's personal experience. While the information and recommendations in this webpage may be appropriate in most cases, however, they are not specific to individuals and their particular circumstances. They are certainly not meant to replace medical treatments by a medical professional or qualified practitioner when necessary. You are advised to seek a second opinion from a nutritionally oriented medical practitioner before you follow the recommendations in this webpage.
Next Steps:
While you may find this medical information useful, as the next step we strongly recommend that you make an appointment to see one of our physicians to ensure that your health issues are properly addressed.
To schedule an appointment with our physicians, please call our patient coordinator at 1-212-679-9667, send the form below or an email to: info@patientsmedical.com. We are currently accepting new patients and look forward to being of assistance.
We are located at: Patients Medical PC, 800 Second Avenue, Suite 900 (Between 42nd & 43rd Street), Manhattan, NYC, New York, NY 10017.
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Article Last Updated: 06/26/2009