You Don’t Have to Live With Irritable Bowel Syndrome

with Maurice W. Chung, M.D., Gastroenterologist, Columbia St. Mary’s

Posted: April 1, 2006

While irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition, it is not a serious illness. IBS can cause varying levels of distress or discomfort, but it does not permanently harm the intestines and does not lead to any serious disease, such as cancer. It is important to know that you don’t have to live with IBS; it is a condition that is treatable.

IBS affects men and women of all ages, although it is more common in women. About 20 percent of the adult American population has IBS, a condition that usually begins before age 35 in about 50 percent of the cases.

IBS is a functional disorder caused by a motility problem of the colon. Instead of normal peristalsis (bowel rhythm), there can be too much or too little peristalsis. This means you can experience cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation or diarrhea. In addition, there is a heightened sensitivity of the nerves in the colon that very often causes pain.

Not all individuals suffering from IBS have the same precise symptoms, but they do have abnormal peristalsis and heightened nerve sensitivity in common.

If you are experiencing the symptoms of IBS, you probably belong to one of three different groups of patients: individuals whose symptoms are due largely to diet; those whose IBS is triggered or worsened by stress and anxiety; and those who simply have the condition.

If you experience any of these symptoms, it is important to visit your physician and get the condition diagnosed. You need to learn whether you have IBS or another, more serious illness such as Crohn’s disease or cancer. Once these more serious conditions are ruled out, your doctor will assess the degree of your IBS and decide on an appropriate treatment.

How can IBS be treated?
Sometimes, education can help. Just learning about IBS can help a patient better deal with it. The knowledge that it is not a serious disorder can relieve the anxiety of not "knowing" or of fearing it to be a life-threatening illness.

For people with minor or infrequent symptoms, it is possible that no medication is needed. Instead, a careful diet may reduce IBS symptoms. Stress and anxiety can cause colon spasms in people with IBS, so stress management can play an important role in treatment.

For some patients, severe symptoms interfere with daily living. Severe cases of diarrhea can cause work absences. Worrying about diet may limit the person’s socializing. Travel plans can be adversely affected. Understandably, depression can result.

We can help get an IBS sufferer’s life back on track by prescribing medications that successfully alleviate these symptoms. Dietary modification and medications can help to relieve diarrhea, constipation and colon muscle spasms.

Because medications can affect patients differently, and no single medication or combination of medications will work for everyone, you will need to work with your doctor to find the most effective combination of medicine, diet, and education to control your symptoms. But remember, IBS can be successfully treated!

Maurice W. Chung, M.D.
Gastroenterologist
Columbia St. Mary’s
414-326-1745

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