Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Symptoms & Treatment

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of the colon which is characterized by a group (usually not just one) of persistent symptoms. After having a bowel movement, people with irritable bowel syndrome often feel an immediate urge to have another one or may feel they have not fully emptied their rectum.

Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome may include any combination of the following.

• A minimum of 3 months of irregular and/or abnormal frequency of bowel movements; usually a change in the consistency or frequency of loose or hard stools
• Abnormal amounts of constipation and/or diarrhea over a minimum of 3 months
• Bloating, abdominal pain or cramping that persists over a minimum of 3 months (this is distinct from sudden onset acute pain that is not accompanied by other symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome)
• Loose, watery stools over a period of more than 3 months
• More than 3 months of dry, pebbly or hard stools
• Chronic intermittent periods of diarrhea and constipation (experienced by more than half of patients with irritable bowel syndrome)
• Mucus in the stool due to inflammation of the colon

How Irritable Bowel Syndrome Affects the Body

Irritable bowel syndrome starts in the colon, where leftover fluid and non-digested foods are processed. The colon's job is to get rid of the excess fluids and waste so that the stool is normal in size, form and frequency. With irritable bowel syndrome, the muscles in the colon behave improperly. If the muscular contractions of the bowel last longer and are too strong, they can produce gas, bloating and diarrhea. If the muscular contractions of the bowel are too sluggish, they cause constipation.

Compared to men, women are twice as likely to have irritable bowel syndrome, although the reasons for this are not known. For all patients, certain substances appear to worsen irritable bowel syndrome. Some of the most common irritants include certain medications, dairy products, caffeine and alcohol.

Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

If irritable bowel syndrome is affecting your quality of life, there are a number of things you can do to help ease the symptoms. Some of these suggestions are listed below.

• Review your current medications with your doctor, since some medicines tend to affect bowel motility (movement).
• Consider a colonoscopy, which can help your doctor eliminate other causes such as a malignancy, inflammatory cause or a mechanical cause, all of which require specific therapy.
• Keep a diary of foods and beverages like dairy, alcohol, caffeine or fatty foods that might be worsening your symptoms. Since they are not critical to your health, they should be eliminated or minimized. Other foods that could increase your symptoms include cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli, but since these are very healthy, rather than eliminating these healthy vegetables, try minimizing your intake and then slowly reincorporating them back into your diet.
• Minimize spicy foods, popcorn and carbonated beverage.
• Eat plenty of fiber. Fiber holds water, softening hard stools and bulking up loose stools. Since fiber can make you gassy, increase your consumption slowly to give your body a chance to adjust to the increased bulk. Soluble fiber slows digestion and minimizes the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Fiber can be found in abundance in fruits and vegetables, vegetables and legumes, whole grains and nuts. Taking a fiber supplement is usually beneficial, since today’s diets are quite deficient in fiber.
• Eat 5 to 6 small meals a day.
• Exercise regularly and practice other stress-relieving activities.
• Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day.

And finally, speak to your doctor about other treatment options for irritable bowel syndrome that might help, including anti-diarrheal agents, laxatives, antidepressants, anticholinergics and other antispasmodics, and chloride channel activators.

Editor's Note: For further reading on healthy eating guidelines, read Ditch the Diet Forever: 7 Health Habits for Seniors, and download Dr. Gilbert's All-In-1 Pocket Guide to Healthy Choices. Also see Bowel and Bladder Care.

Posted in Hygiene & Health, Senior Health