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Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) afflicts some 20% of South
Africans at some point in their lives - Women twice as often as
men and whites more often than blacks. Also known as nervous
bowel, spastic colon, mucous colitis or functional bowel
disorder, is a noninflammatory motility disorder of the large
bowel that alters bowel habits and causes abdominal cramps and
distention. Although a source of much discomfort and often
embarrassment, IBS is not a symptom of a more serious underlying
disorder, or a disease in itself for that matter. It's an
aggravating problem that many learn to live with.
Causes:
The cause of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is unknown, but
it is thought to be associated with diet, drugs, toxins,
gastrointestinal (GI) hormones, prostaglandins, and emotional
factors - Many think IBS is closely related to feelings of
uncertainty, anxiety, tension, stress and depression.
Symptoms:
The primary symptoms are either painless, urgent diarrhea
that occurs after meals, or episodes of constipation
interspersed with explosive diarrhoea, which is often
accompanied by abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence, headache,
and fatigue. There may also be mucus in the stool, and the pain
often subsides following a bowel movement.
Symptoms may be present for days or weeks, and then disappear
for months at a time.
Medications and Treatments for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
(IBS):
- Stress reduction sessions - those offering relaxation
techniques and possibly hypnosis.
- Psychological counselling is sometimes also recommended.
- Alterations to daily diet - Many sufferers have reported
immense relief, just by adding 2 tablespoons of bran a day to
their food. Changing to a low-fat, caffeine-free diet may also
help.
- Antispasmodics e.g- Buscopan often helps in reducing
colonic spasms. (These are fine for short-term use).
- Stool softeners e.g- Norilax often aid in loosening
excessively hard stools that are uncomfortable to pass.
- Antidiarrhoeal drugs to halt continuous diarrhoea.
(No specific treatment is universally effective, and several
therapeutic approaches may have to be tried before the ideal one
is found.)
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