The Signs and Symptom for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

You may find many people experiencing a symptom for irritable bowel syndrome feel depressed about it. Although IBS is considered a "syndrome" meaning that there are a number of signs and symptoms that characterize the condition, many people can suffer with some of the same signs and symptoms and not have IBS.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a condition, which reduces the quality of life. It can effect people physically and psychologically, and dictate many of ways someone has to conduct their life as the symptoms can be sudden.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder of the lower digestive tract that is characterized by a mixture of symptoms. The symptoms for irritable bowel syndrome may differ from person to person. However the main symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome include abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and abnormal bowel habits such as diarrhea and constipation.

It has been observed that any one symptom typically predominates in people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome.

Many patients' report of diarrhea being the chief complaint during an irritable bowel attack. Such patients feel a strong need to relieve themselves many times throughout the day and they pass loose, watery stools.

Patients suffering from constipation may have fewer than three bowel movements a week. Some patients of irritable bowel syndrome experience alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation. Some patients feel as if they are not able to void completely. They may also experience bloating and pass excessive amounts of gas.

The majority of patients never bother to seek help from a doctor and simply endure their symptoms. Some others feel reluctant to leave home during an attack because of pain or the urgency to have bowel movement.

In people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, the muscles of the bowel wall go into spasm. In a normal person, regular contractions of the muscles in the wall of the digestive track propel the contents forward. In IBS patients, the muscle spasms hinder this smooth movement resulting in diarrhea or constipation.

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While factors such as diet and stress can trigger the muscle spasms, it is thought that one of the main possible causes of IBS appears to be the way the brain and bowel communicate. Some researches have indicated that patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome have a more heightened awareness of pain in their digestive systems than people without irritable bowel syndrome do. This hypersensitivity is considered to trigger the intestinal spasms, and is the basis of abdominal pain/discomfort.

In order to diagnose irritable bowel syndrome in a patient, a physician needs to rule out other possible diseases. A physician performs physical examination of the patient and goes through the medical history of the patient.

The physician will ask questions about the symptoms and then may suggest laboratory tests. These tests help in ruling out other diseases and may include complete blood count (CBC), thyroid function, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and urinalysis.

Depending on symptoms, physician may also recommend additional tests such as lactose tolerance test and a check for the presence of blood, bacteria, and parasites in feces. If the laboratory tests and physical exam do not suggest any other disease, the physician may diagnose irritable bowel syndrome in the patient.

IBS is not very well understood and very few drugs show consistent results. Many patients of IBS are often switched from drug to drug to control the abnormal bowel habits including antidepressants or medications that affect serotonin receptors.

However, for most patients, the best therapy is natural, based on dietary supplements that encourage healthy digestion. Also lifestyle changes can bring each symptom for irritable bowel syndrome under control.