Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, affects more women than men, typically begins before age 35 and is one of the most common disorders diagnosed by doctors, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearing House, or NDDIC. This sometimes disabling condition can cause severe abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea. There is no known cure, but the main ingredient for a successful treatment plan often includes identifying a diet that helps control your IBS symptoms.
Symptoms
IBS occurs when the intestines squeeze too hard or not hard enough, which can cause food to move too quickly or too slowly through the intestines. The symptoms include gas, mucus in the stool, cramping and the sensation that you need to have a bowel movement after just having one. Some people with IBS have problems with diarrhea, especially right after a meal or first thing in the morning, and others have problems with constipation. The symptoms may worsen when you don't eat healthy foods, after you've eaten a very large meal or with certain foods that cause gas, such as beans or cabbage.
Causes
Medical research has failed to discover a specific cause for IBS, as of 2010. However, people with IBS appear to have intestines particularly sensitive to certain types of foods, says the NDDIC website. They also note that stress, a malfunctioning immune system, abnormal levels of serotonin in the gastrointestinal tract and reaction to a gastrointestinal bacterial infection might contribute to or cause IBS.
Treating IBS With Diet
The best way to treat IBS, according to the website Family Doctor, is to eat a healthy diet, avoid the foods that cause you problems and reduce stress. The NDDIC recommends you keep a journal of the foods in your diet that seem to cause distress, and discuss the findings with your doctor. Some people, for instance, have IBS symptoms after eating chocolate and others do not.
Otherwise, increasing fiber in your diet with whole grains, fruits and vegetables may help lessen symptoms. Eating smaller meals that are low in fat, avoiding carbonated beverages that can increase gas, eating slowly so you don't swallow air with your food and drinking six to eight glasses of water per day are general dietary changes that may help decrease your symptoms.
Considerations
Controlling stress and changing your dietary habits remain the most promising treatments for IBS. However, for significant or unrelenting cramping and pain, your doctor might prescribe antispasmodic medication, such as hyoscyamine, or Anaspaz, according to the Family Doctor website. Diarrhea might respond to medicines such as loperamide, or Imodium. Due to possible interactions with other medications you take or other health issues, always check with your physician before starting a new medication.
Expert Insight
Fortunately, IBS does not harm the intestines over time. It does not lead to cancer, says the Family Doctor website. It does not require surgery and will not worsen, but it may improve for a time and then worsen again. IBS has no relationship to inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis.
