IBS-Irritable bowel syndrome

IBS-Irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder of the digestive tract that causes recurring abdominal pain and constipation or diarrhea. Symptoms vary but often include lower abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and constipation or diarrhea. A variety of substances and emotional factors can trigger symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Description

IBS is generally classified as a functional disorder because it impairs the functioning of the body’s normal activities, such as the movement of the intestines, the sensitivity of the nerves of the intestines, or the way in which the brain controls some of these functions. However, although the normal functioning is impaired, there are no structural abnormalities that can be found with an endoscope (a flexible viewing tube), x-rays, biopsies, or blood tests. Thus, IBS is identified by the characteristics of the symptoms and, when done, normal results of tests.

Cause

The cause of irritable bowel syndrome is not clear. In many people with IBS, the digestive tract is especially sensitive to many stimuli. People may experience discomfort caused by intestinal gas or contractions that other people do not find distressing. Although the changes in bowel movements that occur with IBS might seem to be related to abnormal intestinal contractions, not all people with IBS have abnormal contractions, and in many of those who do, the abnormal contractions do not always coincide with symptoms. In some people, symptoms of IBS begin after an episode of gastroenteritis.