Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Symptoms and Treatment

Irritable bowel syndrome is a condition that is defined as a functional bowel disorder that has a biopsychosocial character. The basis for the manifestation of this ailment is the interaction of two different mechanisms.

This psychosocial action and sensorimotor dysfunction, which is characterized by problems with motor activity and visceral sensitivity of the intestine. To ensure qualitative treatment of this condition, a special approach to diagnosis, a differential diagnosis, as well as ensuring the correct course of therapy of the disease, is required.

Thus, irritable bowel syndrome is not a disease, but is a syndrome-a complex of symptoms characteristic of the functional disorder of this GI tract. They disturb a person more than a month. Patients complain of abdominal pain, difficulty with defecation, constipation, diarrhea, mucus in the stool, flatulence.

Causes

Why does irritable bowel syndrome occur, and what is it? Disorders of the gastrointestinal system in IBS is not an independent disease. If the intestine is irritated, the reasons lie in various functional disorders of the digestive system.

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In the case of a relapse or the resumption of a pathological condition, such as an irritated bowel, whose treatment already carried out, may have quite a different cause and effect relationship of digestive apparatus disorders.

To the development of this syndromeoften predispose:

frequent stress;
physical or sexual violence;
intestinal infections;
genetic predisposition.

The peak incidence of irritable bowel syndrome falls on the youngest part of the population of 24-40 years, although cases of manifestation of pathology in adolescence or even in childhood are not uncommon. Women suffering from IBS are two more than men.

Irritable Bowel Symptoms

Irritable bowel syndrome can have three types of symptoms: with a predominance of complaints of abdominal pain and increased gas formation, with a predominance of constipation, with a predominance of loose stools. At the same time, in most patients, IBS symptoms can occur in different combinations and change over time.

Consequently, this gradation is rather conditional. The peculiarities of the course of pathology include: a long, non-progressive course of the disease, a variety of manifestations, variability of symptoms, the relationship between deterioration of well-being and stressful situations, as well as with inaccuracies in the diet.

The main symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome in adults:

Spasms and pain in the abdomen, which pass after defecation. The nature of the pain is wandering, the patient can not accurately determine the location of its localization.
Constipation (stool less than three times a week) or diarrhea (stool more than three times a day), in some cases these conditions can alternate.
Excess gas formation (flatulence).
Swelling and bloating.
Sudden and intense urge to defecate.
The feeling of incomplete emptying of the intestine after the stool.
The appearance of mucus in stool.

All these signs can be combined with each other. For example, irritable bowel syndrome, accompanied by diarrhea, is often replaced by constipation and vice versa. Symptoms, as a rule, disturb a person more than three months a year.

Due to the fact that the disease occurs against the background of emotional shock, the above symptoms are often associated with headache, weakness, heart pain, back pain, loss of sleep, painful urination, etc. Some pathologies, for example, ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, can be disguised as irritable bowel syndrome, so a differential diagnosis can not be avoided.

There are four possible variants of irritable bowel syndrome:

irritable bowel syndrome with constipation(hard or fragmented stools in> 25%, liquid or watery stools in <25% of all bowel movements (bowel emptying));
irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea(liquid or watery stools in> 25%, hard or fragmented stools in> 25%);
mixed form of irritable bowel syndrome(hard or fragmented stool in> 25%, liquid or watery stool in> 25% of all defecation acts);
Undetectable form of irritable bowel syndrome(insufficient change in the consistency of the stool to establish the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation, diarrhea, or a mixed form of the disease).

Very often signs of irritation of the intestine occur after eating, at the time of stress, in women during menstruation (or immediately before the onset of a monthly bleeding).

Diagnostics

Rome Foundation experts proposed diagnostic criteria for IBS: recurrent pain or discomfort in the abdomen less than 6 months ago) at least 3 days per month in the last 3 months associated with 2 or more of the following symptoms:

Pain and discomfort weaken after defecation;
The appearance of pain and discomfort coincided with the change in stool frequency;
The appearance of pain and discomfort coincided with the change in the form (appearance) of the stool.
Discomfort means any unpleasant sensations, except pain.

How to treat irritable bowel syndrome

This disease consists of a whole set of symptoms, therefore, in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, complex therapy is required, which includes:

diet therapy;
changes in lifestyle;
pharmacotherapy;
psychotherapy;
physiotherapy;
massage (abdominal or general, self-massage);
therapeutic physical training.

First of all, you need to establish a life regime, because The main cause of the disease is stress. It is necessary to avoid stressful situations, spend more time resting, sleeping, active outdoor walks. Diet in irritable bowel syndrome is also an important factor. Nutrition depends on the form of the disease.

If you are more concerned about diarrhea, you need to exclude from the diet raw vegetables and fruits, coffee, alcohol, black bread, garlic, legumes. With flatulence (abdominal distension) restrict the intake of carbonated beverages, legumes, cabbage. If you are more worried about constipation, you should increase the amount of fruits and vegetables consumed, and it is also recommended to drink at least 1.5 liters of fluid per day. It is necessary to exclude the food, after which usually there is discomfort.

Preparations for the treatment of IBS

The choice of medications depends on the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome in a particular patient. The therapeutic complex may include the administration of such drugs:

Spasmolytics, eliminating pain, if it is caused by intestinal hypertension (drotaverin, pinaveria bromide, mebeverin, etc.).
M-holinolitiki, reducing spasm and having some opposing effect (buscopan, belloid, platyphylline, riabal, metacin, etc.).
Antidepressants("Imipramine", "Fluxetin", "Citalopram"). Designed to eliminate depressive conditions, neuropathic pains and irritated bowels.
Prokinetics- regulators of intestinal motility (metoclopramide, trimedate, tegaserod, itopride, alosetron, debrideate, etc.).
Knitting preparations(Smecta, Tanalbin). Assign with exacerbation of diarrhea. With the same purpose take Maalox, Almagel.
Laxatives- anthraglycosides (preparations of senna, cofranil, rhamnil, regulax, tisasen, etc., can be addictive).
Probiotics-("Hilak-Forte", "Lactovit", "Bifiform"). With the help of beneficial bacteria, intestinal work is established.

How to treat irritable bowel syndrome developed on the basis of disorders of the nervous system? In this case, experts recommend to increase stress resistance through the method of relaxation, yoga and performing special respiratory gymnastics.

Daily regime

Lack of sleep and physical activity markedly worsens the course of the disease. At the same time, the formed habit of emptying the intestines in the morning after breakfast prevents habitual constipation. Promotes a regular chair of a glass of cold water immediately after awakening in conjunction with morning exercises, especially the exercises "scissors" and "bicycle".

Psychotherapy

Since frequent transfer of stress is one of the causes of IBS, patients are advised to avoid situations that cause severe emotional shocks, try not to get into conflicts and master the techniques that help to increase your own stress resistance.

Therefore, patients are recommended to learn and apply in practice:

respiratory gymnastics;
the art of meditation;
yoga;
Tai Chi and so on.

Hypnotherapy successfully reduces the influence of the subconscious mind on the appearance of certain clinical symptoms of the disease. Psychological training using relaxation techniques can calm and strengthen the nervous system. Yoga classes, special breathing exercises and meditations will teach quick and proper relaxation. And physical education and therapeutic gymnastics will help strengthen the body and improve the nervous system.

Prevention

As a preventive measure for irritable bowel syndrome, it is worth noting the normalization of nutrition and lifestyle (balanced diet, regular meals, avoidance of hypodynamia, abuse of alcohol, coffee, carbonated drinks, spicy and fatty foods), maintaining a positive emotional situation, taking medicines strictly according to the indications.

Forecast

The state of patients with irritable bowel syndrome, treatment effectiveness and prognosis largely depend on the severity of the accompanying disorders from the nervous system. In achieving recovery, the overcoming of conflicts, which are the reason for the formation of a neurosis in a patient, is often of decisive importance.

The incapacity of patients with irritable bowel syndrome and the prognosis for this disease largely depend on the degree of concomitant psychoemotional disorders.