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Writer's pictureHealthy Nutrition
Jul 15, 20234 min read

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (القولون العصبي)

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)




Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder that affects the stomach and intestines, also called the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms include cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea or constipation, or both. IBS is a chronic condition that you'll need to manage long term. Only a small number of people with IBS have severe symptoms. Some people can control their symptoms by managing diet, lifestyle and stress. More-severe symptoms can be treated with medication and counselling.


Symptoms

Symptoms of IBS vary but are usually present for a long time.

The most common include:

  • Abdominal pain or cramps, usually in the lower half of the abdomen.

  • Bloating.

  • Bowel movements that are harder or looser than usual.

  • Diarrhea, constipation or alternating between the two.

  • Excess gas.

  • Mucus (may look whitish).

  • Women with IBS may find that symptoms flare up during their periods.

Causes

Women can be twice as likely than men to get IBS.

The exact cause of IBS isn't known. Factors that appear to play a role include:

· Nervous system. Issues with the nerves in your digestive system may cause discomfort when your abdomen stretches from gas or stool. Poorly coordinated signals between the brain and the intestines can cause your body to overreact to changes that typically occur in the digestive process. This can result in pain, diarrhea or constipation.

· Severe digestive tract infection: IBS can develop after a severe bout of diarrhea caused by bacteria or a virus. This is called gastroenteritis. IBS might also be associated with a surplus of bacteria in the intestines (bacterial overgrowth).

· Family history of IBS.

· Food intolerance.


Triggers

Symptoms of IBS can be triggered by:

· Food: The role of food allergy or intolerance in IBS isn't fully understood. A true food allergy rarely causes IBS. But many people have worse IBS symptoms when they eat or drink certain foods or beverages. These include wheat, dairy products, citrus fruits, beans, cabbage, milk and carbonated drinks.

· Stress. Most people with IBS experience worse or more-frequent symptoms during periods of increased stress. But while stress may make symptoms worse, it doesn't cause them.

Types of IBS

Researchers categorize IBS based on the type of bowel movement problems you have. The kind of IBS can affect your treatment. Certain medicines only work for certain types of IBS.

The type of IBS you have depends on the abnormal bowel movements you experience:

· IBS with constipation (IBS-C): Most of your poop is hard and lumpy.

· IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D): Most of your poop is loose and watery.

· IBS with mixed bowel habits (IBS-M): You have both hard and lumpy bowel movements and loose and watery movements on the same day.

Treatment

Doctors may treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) by recommending changes in what you eat and other lifestyle changes, medicines, probiotics, and mental health therapies. You may have to try a few treatments to see what works best for you. Your doctor can help you find the right treatment plan.

Dietary changes:

· Increase fiber in your diet — eat more fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts.

· Add supplemental fiber to your diet, such as Metamucil or Citrucel.

· Drink plenty of water — eight 8-ounce glasses per day.

· Avoid caffeine (from coffee, chocolate, teas and sodas).

· Limit cheese and milk. Lactose intolerance is more common in people with IBS. Make sure to get calcium from other sources, such as broccoli, spinach, salmon or supplements.

· Try the low FODMAP diet, an eating plan that can help improve symptoms.

Activity changes:

· Exercise regularly.

· Don’t smoke.

· Try relaxation techniques.

· Eat smaller meals more often.

· Record the foods you eat so you can figure out which foods trigger IBS flare-ups. Common triggers are red peppers, green onions, red wine, wheat and cow’s milk.


What is FODMAP

FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, which are short-chain carbohydrates (sugars) that the small intestine absorbs poorly. Some people experience digestive distress after eating them. Symptoms include:


· Cramping

· Diarrhea

· Constipation

· Stomach bloating

· Gas and flatulence

How does the low FODMAP diet work?

Low FODMAP is a three-step elimination diet:

First, you stop eating certain foods (high FODMAP foods).

Next, you slowly reintroduce them to see which ones are troublesome.

Once you identify the foods that cause symptoms, you can avoid or limit them while enjoying everything else worry-free.

“We recommend following the elimination portion of the diet for only two to six weeks. “This reduces your symptoms and if you have SIBO, it can help decrease abnormally high levels of intestinal bacteria. Then every three days, you can add a high FODMAP food back into your diet, one at a time, to see if it causes any symptoms. If a particular high FODMAP food causes symptoms, then avoid this long term.”

Conclusion

IBS is a common disorder characterized by abdominal pain and altered bowel habit for at least 3 month, avoid some food include wheat, dairy products, citrus fruits, beans, cabbage, milk and carbonated drinks, eat more fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts, eat smaller meals more oftenand you should exercise regularly.







References

· National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS),(2020,September24). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4342-irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs

· Hazel Galon Veloso, M.D.




Done by Eng.Ruba Ghassan Hamaydeh




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