Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, can be painful, embarrassing, and frustrating — not to mention anxiety-inducing. It can stop you from living a life filled with adventure and joy, keeping you chained to your home (and often, your toilet). So, what is IBS exactly? What causes it? And what can be done to treat it?
What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, a disorder of the gut-brain interaction. Simply put, your brain and your gut aren’t working in sync, and this can cause your gut to be more sensitive and change how the muscles in your bowel contract. Thus, the contents of your large intestine can move too quickly (diarrhea) or too slowly (constipation).
IBS affects approximately 12% of people in the United States, and women are up to two times more likely to develop it than men. Additionally, people under 50 are more likely to develop IBS than those over 50. Symptoms of IBS include cramping, bloating, gas, and diarrhea or constipation (or both). And those with IBS often have other health problems, including chronic pain, digestive diseases, anxiety, and depression.
Symptoms
Symptoms of IBS vary, but some of the most common are:
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating and gas
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Mixed bowel habits
- Mucus in your stool
- The feeling you haven’t completed a bowel movement
As IBS is a chronic condition, you’re likely to have these symptoms every week for a few months—or, if you have them less often, they last for at least six months. And women with IBS may have more symptoms during their period.
See a doctor immediately if you have more severe signs or symptoms, including bloody stools, vomiting, and weight loss. These may indicate a more serious condition such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
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What Causes IBS?
Researchers don’t know the exact cause of IBS, and possible causes may differ from person to person. However, certain factors may play a role:
- As mentioned above, the gut-brain interaction can affect how your body works, causing food to move too slowly or too fast through your large intestine.
- IBS can develop after a severe bacterial infection in the digestive tract or surplus bacteria (small intestinal bacteria overgrowth, also called SIBO) in the intestines.
- Stressful events, particularly from childhood, may cause IBS symptoms.
- Food intolerances or sensitivities can cause digestive symptoms leading to IBS.
- Changes in the gut microbiome, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, may also cause IBS.
IBS Risk Factors and Triggers
While many people can have abdominal pain, diarrhea, or constipation from time to time, IBS is a chronic condition. Those with the following risk factors are more likely to develop IBS:
- Under 50
- Female
- Family history of IBS
- Anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues
While not specific causes of IBS, two primary triggers are stress and food. That’s why it’s vital to know how to manage your nutrition.
SIBO and IBS
SIBO, or small intestine bacterial overgrowth, is an abnormal increase in bacteria in the small intestine — either too many bacteria or the wrong kind. When this happens, things that normally maintain balance among your gut flora don’t work. And some studies have found that up to 80% of people with IBS also have SIBO.
Symptoms of SIBO can include:
- abdominal pain or distension
- nausea
- bloating
- indigestion
- gas
- diarrhea
- constipation
- unintentional weight loss
- fatigue
As you can see, SIBO and IBS share many of the same symptoms, and you can have both. And since SIBO is a bacterial overgrowth, it’s treated with antibiotics as well as nutritional changes. Ultimately, we will want to locate and treat the underlying cause of SIBO, which may require additional testing.
How Proper Nutrition Can Help Treat IBS
One important way to improve IBS symptoms is to change your diet. This may include eating more fiber, avoiding gluten, and following a low FODMAP diet (see below). By avoiding foods that trigger your symptoms and drinking plenty of fluids — along with a regular exercise routine and quality sleep — you may see many symptoms improve. It may take some time and careful detective work to discover which foods are triggering your symptoms, so patience is essential. However, it will be well worth it.
The Low FODMAP Diet
A diet gaining more popularity in recent years to manage IBS symptoms, the Low FODMAP Diet reduces or eliminates certain carbohydrates that are hard to digest. Examples of these foods include:
- fruits such as apples, apricots, blackberries, cherries, mango, nectarines, pears, plums, and watermelon, or juice containing any of these fruits
- dairy products such as milk, milk products, soft cheeses, yogurt, custard, and ice cream
- vegetables such as artichokes, asparagus, beans, cabbage, cauliflower, garlic and garlic salts, lentils, mushrooms, onions, and sugar snap or snow peas
- canned fruit in natural fruit juice, or large amounts of fruit juice or dried fruit
- wheat and rye products
- honey and foods with high-fructose corn syrup
- artificial sweeteners such as sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, and maltitol
By working with a registered dietitian, you can discover which FODMAP foods are triggering your IBS symptoms and eliminate them. Studies have shown that those following a Low FODMAP Diet have reported improvements in their IBS symptoms.
As a note, if you are diagnosed with SIBO, you may have success with a Low FODMAP diet along with your antibiotic treatment. However, some with SIBO need a more restrictive eating plan, and a SIBO Specific Diet may provide more symptom relief.
Nutritional Testing at Dynamic Life Health Center in Southlake, TX
To help you better determine what may be triggering your IBS, we at Dynamic Life Health Center offer nutritional testing and provide you access to a registered dietitian to help you restore your gut health and relieve your IBS symptoms. The tests that we provide include but are not limited to:
- Vibrant America Food Sensitivities Testing – a blood test to determine if you have sensitivities to hundreds of common foods.
- Gut Zoomer – the most comprehensive gut microbiome test on the market.
- Genova GI Effects Test – a stool test that looks at overall gut health, the function of your digestive system, inflammation, and imbalances within the microbiome, including an analysis of bacteria, yeast, and parasites.
- Genova SIBO Test – a breath test to evaluate bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, performed right in our office.
Please visit our Testing page to see all the testing we can provide. We are committed to providing the help you need to alleviate your IBS symptoms and start living a healthier, happier life.
Contact our New Patient Coordinator for more information
Our New Patient Coordinator is happy to speak with you anytime Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.
She will take the time to answer your questions, explain our protocols and fees and help you make an informed decision about whether we are the right fit for you. There are no obligations for this complimentary phone consultation.
Please call to get more information about how our providers can help you with your health goals.
We look forward to the opportunity to restore your health and regain your vitality for life!
Call our New Patient Coordinator to get all your questions answered.
Or fill in the inquiry form below and tell us the best way to reach you.
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