What is it?

Abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea or alternating constipation and diarrhoea  are the rather frustrating symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Usually it is women who suffer these symptoms and often from their early teen years. One in five people have symptoms of IBS at some time in their lives.

Treatment is very limited but understanding the condition and reducing physical and emotional stress can make a big difference.

What causes it?

The cause of IBS is not known and there is no easy way to treat it. The bowel is a muscular tube several metres long and it should have nice even contractions along its length to move the food and air along the digestive tract. In IBS, it is thought that the muscle wall of the bowel becomes overly sensitive and contracts unevenly, resulting in pain and bloating. In some people, symptoms of IBS can occur after an episode of infection in the bowel.

How do I treat it?

Stress can aggravate irritable bowel, so be aware that if your symptoms are increasing, then your stress levels need to be treated and reduced.

Bowel contractions can be decreased with medications that help spasm in the bowel muscle.  Talk to your health practitioner about which of these may be helpful for occasional use.

Constipation can be treated with natural laxatives and increasing fibre in your diet. Try to use the minimum and avoid the stimulant laxatives such as senna or Durolax. Remember to drink plenty of water

Diarrhoea can be eased by eating a healthy diet and avoiding foods that aggravate your symptoms. If severe, anti-diarrhoea medication may be needed. See a dietitian to identify aggravating foods.

Unfortunately, there is no specific test for IBS so it is very important to exclude other conditions. Your GP should exclude gluten, lactose and fructose intolerance and check regarding chronic bowel disease such as Crohns' disease or ulcerative colitis, as well as bowel infections. In older people or those with a family history, bowel cancer must be excluded. Blood tests and gastroscopy or colonoscopy may be required.

Watch out for danger symptoms

Irritable bowel disease does not cause bleeding from the bowel. Bleeding may occur as bright red blood on the toilet paper or a black colour to the stools but it is not due to IBS. Extreme diarrhoea and mucous is not common in irritable bowel. It does not cause weight loss.  It is rare for IBS to start in later life and it is usually present from teens or early 20s. If anything seems unusual then your GP can do further tests as mentioned above.

Some good news

Although IBS can cause significant symptoms, it does not lead to any serious illness. It is not linked to bowel cancer or any bowel disease. Having a good understanding of IBS can make people feel more confident in managing the symptoms.

Further Information

Websites

Irritable Bowel Information and Support Association of Australia http://www.ibis-australia.org/   

Gastroenterological Society of Australia http://www.gesa.org.au/  (highly recommended)

http://www.abc.net.au/health/library/stories/2006/09/25/1830083.htm

Dietitians Association of Australia http://www.daa.asn.au/

Books

Healthy Gut Guide - Natural Solutions for your digestive disorders
By naturopath Jill Thomas

TEN second tips

• repeated abdominal pain and bloating are the common symptoms with constipation and/or diarrhoea added in
• symptoms are caused by abnormal contractions in the muscle of the bowel
• it can be very painful
• it is closely linked to stress and tension in the body and mind
• there is no test for it but it is important that your doctor excludes any other causes
• decreasing stress and tension is the best way to treat it
• medications help muscle contraction, constipation or diarrhoea
• a healthy diet with regular meals and plenty of fibre and fluids will help
• it is frustrating but is not linked to any serious illness

Content Updated 6 November 2009