11 Facts on Living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

<p>Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a rather cruel disorder that strikes at the heart of both social and physical pain. It’s a bully’s best friend in high school, and a nightmare at work when trying to maintain professional composure and perform. The cramps, bloating, and bathroom disasters aren’t much better.</p> <p>IBS is a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder that affects millions worldwide, but this complex condition is not well understood. Here are the key points on life with an ever-rumbling gut.</p> <h2>11 facts on irritable bowel syndrome</h2> <h3>1 - Prevalence</h3> <p>IBS is up there with the most common gastro issues in the world. It affects people of all ages, though it’s more common in young adults. In North America, the prevalence is thought to be around 10% to 15% of the population. The exact cause is unknown. </p> <h3>2 - Symptoms</h3> <p>Symptoms vary case by case, but the gist of IBS is abdominal pain or discomfort, bloating, gas, diarrhea, or constipation. Your IBS can lean more in a constipated direction or a diarrhea-oriented one, while some people have a mix of both. IBS symptoms can fluctuate in severity and certain foods can set them off, along with stress, hormonal changes, and other factors.</p> <figure><img alt="" height="405" src="https://cdn.storymd.com/optimized/XdbVkmU0dB/original.png" width="633" /> <figcaption>Depiction of a person suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) <em>Source: https://www.myupchar.com</em></figcaption> </figure> <h3>3 - Diagnosis</h3> <p>Frustratingly, there are no specific tests or biomarkers for IBS that allow us to concretely identify the condition. Instead, doctors use a combination of medical history, physical examination, and ruling out other causes to make a diagnosis. There are diagnostic lists like the Rome criteria that are often used to aid a diagnosis. </p> <h3>4 - Subtypes</h3> <p>IBS is split into subtypes depending on the predominant mood of your bowels. Identifying your subtype helps to tailor treatment approaches and address symptoms. The subtypes include:</p> <ul> <li><strong>IBS with constipation (IBS-C)</strong>. Common symptoms include inconsistent bowel movements, difficulty and strain when passing stools, and feeling like movements are incomplete.<br/>  </li> <li><strong><strong>IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D). </strong></strong>Frequent episodes of diarrhea are the main feature. The need to use the toilet can be urgent, and stools may be watery, loose, and of a high frequency.<br/>  </li> <li><strong>Mixed IBS (IBS-M). </strong>A combination of diarrhea and constipation. Alternating episodes between the two are common.<br/>  </li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>Unsubtyped IBS (IBS-U). </strong>This subtype is for those who don’t neatly fit into the above categories. Symptoms can be unpredictable and without any recognizable pattern.</li> </ul> <h3>5 - The experience of IBS</h3> <p>According to the National Institutes of Health, IBS is what we call a "functional gastrointestinal disorder." It’s a collection of symptoms (pain in your gut, weird bowel movements, etc.) that indicate your bowels aren’t working properly despite no damage from a disease being present. </p> <p>Dealing with the pain and the unpleasant, urgent side effects of IBS can be challenging for careers and social situations. Chronic symptoms can impact productivity and lead to feelings of depression and anxiety, and mental health support is often a necessary antidote to the pressures that IBS places on a person’s emotions.</p> <h3>6 - The pain of a growly gut</h3> <p>The pain varies widely from mildly uncomfortable to being totally incapacitated. This is typical of IBS’s tendency to not fit neatly into one category. </p> <h3>7 - Triggers</h3> <p>We don’t know what causes IBS, but there are suspected factors that contribute to its development and exacerbation. People with IBS are usually able to identify foods or beverages that trigger symptoms, but other influences like stress, an altered gut microbiota, genetics, and abnormal gut motility (which affects contractions in the intestines) are also relevant. Identifying and managing triggers is key to living in relative harmony with IBS.</p> <h3>8 - IBS treatment</h3> <p>The goal of IBS treatment is to alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life. You’ll likely have to modify your lifestyle significantly to make progress, so dietary changes, medications, and stress management are on hand. Some people with IBS take fiber supplements, antispasmodic medications, probiotics, or antidepressants depending on their particular symptoms and issues. </p> <h3>9 - Coping strategies</h3> <p>A lot of general health advice that everyone needs to follow is especially useful for people with IBS. Getting regular exercise, being properly hydrated, consuming enough fiber, and practicing relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation are all excellent tools in managing IBS, not to mention overall health. </p> <p>A food diary is something more unique to IBS, however, and it entails monitoring your food intake and reporting associated symptoms to identify culprits. </p> <figure><img alt="" height="335" src="https://cdn.storymd.com/optimized/MANy3DsNql/original.jpg" width="515" /> <figcaption>Drawing of a food diary <em>Source: NIDDK Image Library</em></figcaption> </figure> <h3>10 - Research</h3> <p>Science continues to excavate the depths of IBS, and some key areas hold promise for a better understanding and management of this complex disorder. Points of interest include the gut microbiota, brain–gut interactions, and personalized medicine. </p> <p>New therapies continue to be evaluated in clinical trials, targeting specific pathways involved in the pathophysiology of IBS.</p> <h3>11 - Education, education, education</h3> <p>You can’t go it alone with IBS. Understanding current knowledge of the disorder, identifying what is particular to your case, and designing appropriate strategies are core to improving your lot. Educating patients about IBS — its symptoms, triggers, and management — empowers individuals to be active players in their health journey. </p> <p>Support groups and educational resources can be critical for individuals living with IBS.</p> <h2>More on Irritable Bowel Syndrome</h2><ul><li><a href="https://soulivity.storymd.com/journal/qj358dqiam-irritable-bowel-syndrome" target="_blank">Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Symptoms, Causes, Treatment</a></li><li><a href="https://soulivity.storymd.com/journal/j36z9gq1aj-irritable-bowel-syndrome-and-complementary-health-approaches" target="_blank">Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Complementary Health Approaches</a></li><li><a href="https://soulivity.storymd.com/journal/jk7opy8cbm-gut-microbiota" target="_blank">The Human Gut Microbiome in Health and Disease</a></li></ul>