Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

A fairly common disorder, which affects the intestines, irritable bowel syndrome affects many adults across the world. If you are suffering from this disorder then you would have problems with bowel movements, mostly the irregularity of it. Sometimes you may suffer from constipation, other times you may suffer from diarrhea and the type of stool will also vary often between thin and hard or soft and liquid.

Common symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome
Some of the common symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome or IBS are as follows:
1. Constipation or diarrhea, the latter of which can become quite severe during certain episodes
2. Gas or bloating which can make you uncomfortable
3. Cramping around the stomach area especially the lower belly which tends to become worse after having food and better after bowel movements
4. Quality of stools may vary quite a lot from time to time such as very hard to lose
5. Stomach may start sticking out and become misshapen
6. May also come with sexual as well as urinary problems

Causes of Irritable bowel syndrome
The causes for irritable bowel syndrome vary from person to person. This disorder usually has triggers and yours may be different from someone else suffering from the same problems. However some general triggers and causes could be:
1. Hormonal problems - This is especially the case with women who tends to suffer From IBS more than men. Hormonal changes in the body such as before and after pregnancy and menopause or periods are known to be common.
2. Dietary causes-This is one of the major external triggers that have been reported by people. A variety of foods are known to have triggered or cause IBS. Some of the foods that have been implicated are beans, chocolate, cauliflower, cabbage or milk among many others.
3. Underlying illnesses - Sometimes IBS itself may be a symptom of a larger underlying problem such as gastrointestinal disorders, such as bacterial overgrowth and gastroenteritis.
4. Mental health and Stress issues - People going through psychological stress such as before exams or reviews have known to have IBS as stress becomes a trigger in their case. If you have mental health issues in the long run, these are also known to trigger or cause IBS.

Treatment options
Some of the treatment options for IBS are:
I. Antibiotics
II. Mental health counseling
III. Antidepressants
IV. Medications for bowel spasms
V. Medications for diarrhea or constipation
VI. Specialized medications for IBS for other underlying conditions.