Managing Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Proper Understanding for Better Management

Somewhere between 5% to 10% of the global population is estimated to be suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)in 2022. This includes 400 – 800 million men, women, and children across all age groups, ethnicities, and geographical locations. Unfortunately, IBS is a complex gastrointestinalcondition that even the best gastroenterologists in the world are not able to understand in its entirety.

Fortunately for us, as painful and disruptive as the condition can be, IBS is not classified as a degenerative disease. In most cases, an IBS flare up is not likely to kill the patient or shorten their life expectancy in any discernible manner. It’s still going to be a lifelong health issue because IBS cannot be cured either. The good news is that there are proven methods to bothreduce the frequency of attacks and mitigate the severity ofIBS symptoms during a flare up.

IBS: What is it?

Irritable bowel syndrome is a GI disorder that can be characterised by the following symptoms:

• Lower abdominal cramps and moderate to severe pain

• Uncontrollable, sudden, and intensely painful urge to relieve the bowel

• Simultaneous and/or alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhoea

• Gas, acidity, and abdominal bloating

• General feelings of discomfort and extreme tiredness

• Poor sleep quality, depression, and anxiety

• High food intolerance

It should be noted that the symptoms mentioned above may or may not all be experienced by one patient, but anyone suffering from IBS will eventually experience most of them.Unlike most chronic diseases, IBS symptoms can and most likely will completely disappear for an indefinite amount of time. However, the episodes can and most likely will againappear suddenly and without warning.

Can IBS be Managed?

Post diagnosis, episodic IBS flare up incidents can be managed quite effectively with medication and a personalised diet plan for IBS. For example, a gluten free diet plan with regular intake of tea for IBS has been proven to be highly effective in reducing and shortening the episodes. Exercise, medication, and a dynamic diet plan for IBS can result incomplete body recomposition. Consequently, the patient becomes increasingly more resistant to an IBS flare up from the inside.

How is IBS Diagnosed?

Irritable bowel syndrome is almost impossible to detect through medical tests because unlike other GI disorders, IBSis not known for leaving long term damage behind as a calling card. Any examination that your physician may suggest, would be suggested to detect or rule out other GI disorders with similar symptoms such as:

• Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD): Coeliac disease, ulcerative and microscopic colitis

• Diverticulitis

• Gallstones

• Pancreatitis

• Endometriosis

• SIBO

• Giardiasis

The conditions associated with IBD are very similar to IBS in their initial symptoms, but both Coeliac disease and Crohn’s disease are more serious, degenerative disorders that can be detected. In addition to discretions made on account of their own medical expertise and experience, your physician will diagnose you with IBS if you have the symptoms but none of the more serious conditions.