Tag: Excretion

What You Should Know About IBS

Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder in the body that affects the digestive system, particularly the large intestine or the colon, which is assigned to regulate and man over the excretion of solid wastes of the body.

Although it may not seem true, irritable bowel syndrome is one of the most common diagnosed functional problems in the body. In the country alone, one out of five people are afflicted with the problem. This translates to about 20 percent of Americans. Still, little is known about the problem. Unlike other disorders that have already had awareness campaigns, irritable bowel syndrome still remain under the shadows. There is a lot of confusion as to how it starts and if a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome is appropriate.

What is doubly hard for this problem is the fact that there are no laboratory tests that can confirm the presence of irritable bowel syndrome. Diagnosis as mentioned before is solely dependent on the examination and study of the symptoms based on the account of the patient as well as on the medical history. Unlike other diseases that are directly caused by bacteria, virus and other organisms, irritable bowel syndrome has no known organic cause. Indirect causes or factors that may trigger the problem include stress, food items that may serve as irritant in the colon as well as milk products.

The numbers of cases of irritable bowel syndrome can actually even grow further as most people who have the problem do not even know that they have the problem. This is perhaps because of the fact that most of its symptoms are similar to symptoms of other body disorders. There is actually no distinctive symptom. This also the reason why it is classified under the term syndrome. Because there is a clear lack of a symptom that will differentiate it from other problems, diagnosis will depend on a set of symptoms that must be present. But what are the symptoms?

One of the main symptoms that doctors often watch out for in irritable bowel syndrome is the abdominal pain. This is actually one of the differentiating factors that doctors use to make a conclusion or final diagnosis. According to the Rome II Diagnostic Criteria, which is often used in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal disorders, irritable bowel syndrome symptoms include abdominal pain and discomfort episodes that may last for about 12 months.

Treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome is a dysfunction in the digestive system that largely affects the large intestine or the colon. This is the part of the system that takes care of the bowel movements in the body including the storage and the excretion of solid waste materials. In irritable bowel syndrome, the large intestine becomes too sensitive. As to whats the reason behind the sensitiveness of the large intestine, scientists and medical experts still cannot determine why. Researches are still being made up until now to ascertain the true cause of irritable bowel syndrome.

Because of the sensitiveness of the large intestine, specifically the lining, minor changes in the body system which is often brought on by stress and changes in the chemical make-up that enter the chambers result in reactions that affect the bodys bowel movements.

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome may either suffer from diarrhea, characterized by a loose and watery stool or from constipation characterized by hard stool and infrequent defecation. This is a problem that is often mistaken as ordinary food poisoning or even indigestion. Unfortunately, since there is no single known cause of irritable bowel syndrome, there is also no diagnostic test that can confirm the disorder. The most that doctors do is to conduct tests that would eliminate other possibilities before continuing with the diagnosis.

One thing thought that separates irritable bowel syndrome from other diseases is the presence of abdominal pain that can last for a period of 12 months. Of course, the pain would not be there every day but a period of a year with abdominal pain is one of the main criteria for a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome.

Because it is a syndrome, diagnosis will not depend on just one symptom. There are criteria that must be met before a conclusive diagnosis can be reached. The Rome II Diagnostic Criteria System is often used to diagnose irritable bowel syndrome. This system is also used in other gastrointestinal problems in the body and has already been established in the medical field as solid and sound criteria for diagnosis.

There is actually no cure for irritable bowel syndrome. The only thing that your doctor can do is to help relieve the pain. Treatment often involves the taking in of medications that will help ease constipation and regulate the bowel system, change in the diet plans and sometimes stress relief through psychotherapy.

Patients are also asked to avoid certain foods that are associated with irritable bowel syndrome. Food items that should be avoided include foods that are rich in oil and fats such as French fries, alcoholic drinks, chocolate, milk and milk products such as ice cream and cheese and even coffee.

The Unknown Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome is a body dysfunction that is characterized by problems with the excretion of solid body wastes. Although not much people actually know that such a condition exists, it is nevertheless quite common, affecting one out of five Americans, placing it as one of the most common problems diagnosed by the doctor.

There is actually no gender or age factor involved with irritable bowel syndrome. Everybody can be afflicted. Still, statistics show that there are more women who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome compared to men. Most people diagnosed have also traced their symptoms back to when they were not yet twenty years old.

If you are under the impression that constipation and diarrhea are the main symptoms, you are wrong. Because there are a lot of body problems that may result in constipation and diarrhea, medical experts placed these two as secondary symptoms. What the doctor must have in order to make a diagnosis is the occurrence of abdominal pain. There may also be bloating especially if the person has not been able to excrete waste materials for a long time.

What makes it harder to detect is the fact that symptoms for most people are not so severe. Most in fact do not even know that they have irritable bowel syndrome. This is why little is known about this problem despite its prevalence. Most people who do experience the symptoms, they are quick to dismiss them as mere food poisoning. They dont know the constipation and pain that they feel is an entirely different matter.

Causes of irritable bowel syndrome

Until now, there is still no clear answer what exactly causes irritable bowel syndrome. Medical experts are still stumped as to why such a condition occurs. Unlike some diseases and other medical condition, which is caused by a bacterial or viral infection, irritable bowel syndrome is not caused by one culprit.

Research on the problem has mentioned a large intestine, the part of the digestive system that regulates the passage of the body wastes, that is awfully sensitive. It seems that the large intestines of people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome is more easily reactive to stimulation, which in turn can affect the bowel movement.

Stress is often attributed with irritable bowel syndrome. There are also studies that suggest the role of some food items that may trigger the problem.

Symptoms Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Main symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome include abdominal pain that lasts for about 2 months. Along with this, the pain must be accompanied by at least two of the following factors in a period of 12 weeks, although not necessarily consecutive. The three factors are: change in the appearance of the stool; change in the frequency of stool excretion and pain relief after defecation.

Other sets of symptoms that doctors watch out for are: abnormal frequency of defecation, which sometimes reach three times a day or less than three times in a week.); abnormal appearance of the stool, which are often lumpy and hard or watery in form.); abnormally hard passage of stool, characterized by a feeling of incomplete evacuation, difficulties that lead to straining and urgency to defecate. In some cases, there are mucus threads that are found on the stool. Mucus is a substance that aid in the passage of stools by moistening the path.

Another symptom is bloating, perhaps because of the inability to defecate or the feeling of abdominal distention. Remember though that these are all secondary symptoms and not the main ones. These symptoms only serve as support for the main symptoms. Their presence, even all of them, is not enough for a diagnosis.

Some patients that suffer from irritable bowel syndrome also complain of experiencing heartburn and nausea. About 25 to 50 percent of the patients diagnosed with irritable bowel movement report these. Another symptom that patients may feel is the early feeling of satiety when eating, brought on by the fullness of the stomach.

Many patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome also experience fatigue and muscle pain. There will also be sleep disturbances and even sexual dysfunction. Although these items are also symptoms, these may already be consequences or complications that have arisen from body dysfunction.

As with other problems, symptoms may vary from one person to another. A patient will not feel all the symptoms. The severity of each symptom particularly the abdominal pain also varies from one patient to another. In fact, some patients have abdominal pain that is so mild that they do not even know that they have a problem.

This is often the problem with irritable bowel syndrome. In addition to having no direct cause and no specific diagnostic test, the symptoms are so varied and so common that people do not even recognize the problem. Most, in fact, believe that they have just suffered from a mild case of food poisoning when they do feel the pain and experience diarrhea.