IBS is more common than many realize. Here's how these treatments can help.
Stomach pain or tummy troubles are among the most common ailments that affect children and adults alike. Feelings of bloating, cramping, constipation or nausea often occur because of something someone has eaten, drank or as a result of anxiety or significant amounts of stress.
Abdominal discomfort is commonly a side effect of medications as well – or may be a symptom of an illness like the flu or a health condition such as GERD, kidney stones or pancreatitis.
One of the most common conditions that's associated with abdominal pain or discomfort is irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS.
What is IBS? Irritable bowel syndrome symptoms
Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic condition that affects the gastrointestinal tract. This tract is a series of throat and stomach organs that include the esophagus and small and large intestines that food and liquids move through as they are swallowed, digested and absorbed. They then leave the body as a bowel movement, per the U.S. National Institutes of Health. IBS can alter these processes by affecting how food moves through this system, which may result in a number of different symptoms.
Some of the most common ones include abdominal pain and frequent diarrhea (loose or watery stool), constipation (hard or lumpy stool) or a mixture of both, explains Dr. William Chey, a physician and division chief at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor and the president-elect of the American College of Gastroenterology.
In order for symptoms to qualify as IBS, he says, they must occur weekly. "Pain that is not related to bowel movements or occurs in patients with normal bowel movements would not be considered a symptom of IBS," he says.
IBS can be caused by stress, bacterial infections, genetics or poorly digested food, "but most patients with IBS cannot name a clear inciting factor," says Dr. David Levinthal, a neurogastroenterologist and a director in the gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition division of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
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How common is IBS?
IBS is considered a very common disorder that affects between 10% and 15% of people in the U.S., per the American College of Gastroenterology. That means some 33 million to 51 million people are currently living with the condition.
The American College of Gastroenterology also notes that IBS symptoms can vary in severity from person to person and that women are nearly twice as likely to have IBS than men – though it is not known for certain why that is. Men and women may also experience IBS symptoms differently.
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Is IBS curable? Irritable bowel syndrome treatments
While there is no cure for IBS, there are many proven treatments that make it possible to manage happy and fulfilling lives despite having the condition.
Treatments include dietary recommendations such as eating more fiber and probiotics or reducing the consumption of fatty foods and caffeine. Laxatives are also commonly recommended to improve IBS symptoms related to constipation; and antidiarrheal medicines are frequently suggested when diarrhea is a factor. Sometimes stronger medications are prescribed to treat more severe IBS symptoms or to alleviate associated pain.
Some psychological treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness meditation and even movement-based therapies like yoga or tai-chi are sometimes recommended. "Any one or a combination of these approaches can be used to help patients with IBS," says Levinthal.
"Because IBS is not one disease," echoes Chey, "there is no one therapy that makes all IBS patients better."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is IBS?
