Irritable Bowel Syndrome explained

What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

The Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) consists of a number of symptoms. The term 'syndrome' seems quite grand but it is just the word that doctors use to describe a collection of symptoms. The most important symptoms in IBS are abdominal pain and abnormal bowel habit. Many patients with IBS get crampy abdominal discomfort or pain, which comes and goes, and is often relieved by opening the bowels. The bowel habit is often irregular – sometimes diarrhoea, sometimes constipation and quite often swinging between these two extremes. Some patients may notice they need to get to a toilet in a hurry. Other symptoms vary from individual to individual but include a sensation of bloating, visible abdominal swelling, a sense of incomplete emptying of the bowels and passage of mucus (slime) from the back passage. Many patients notice that they lack energy and sleep poorly.

It is common? 

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is just about the most common disorder of the digestive system and up to one-third of the population experience symptoms from time to time. Women are slightly more affected than men and the usual age for patients to seek advice is between 20 and 40 years. IBS is one of the commonest reasons for patients to visit a GP. In turn it is also a very frequent reason for GPs to refer patients to a hospital specialist.

What causes IBS?

We do not think that IBS has a single cause. There seem to be many reasons why patients develop the condition. In some people, eating irregularly or taking an abnormal diet may be responsible. Others notice IBS developing after they have had a bout of food poisoning or gastroenteritis. Some people believe that stress makes their symptoms worse. It seems probable, however, that there are other causes which are not yet known.

Why is it painful?

During digestion the intestine squeezes its contents along our insides towards the anus. This process is usually painless and we do not realise that it is happening unless there is abnormal squeeze within the bowel or, for some reason, the intestine becomes overactive. These changes can be quite painful. Some patients with IBS seem to be very sensitive to the way that their intestines are moving.

Are there different sorts of IBS?

Some IBS patients suffer mostly from constipation, some experience diarrhoea, while others have both symptoms at different times. The form of IBS that seems to follow gastroenteritis often leads to persistent diarrhoea. Identifying these different types of IBS is important because treatments often work quite differently depending upon whether diarrhoea or constipation is the main problem. However we do know that the pattern of bowel movements can alter over time and this means that your treatment might need to change should your symptoms vary.

Is IBS serious?

Although the symptoms of IBS can be similar to those seen in more serious conditions, once IBS has been diagnosed there is no reason to think that it will develop into anything more sinister. In particular, patients with IBS are no more likely than anyone else to develop bowel cancer.