Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Home Remedies & Symptoms

Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Home Remedies & Symptoms

What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)? IBS is also known as spastic colon, irritable colon, mucous colitis, and spastic colitis. It is one of the most common digestive tract disorder causing mild to moderate abdominal pain or discomfort associated with either loose stools or constipation. This means it’s of two types: 1. Diarrhea Type - IBS-D 2.Constipation type - IBS-C Remember IBS is different from IBD - which is inflammatory bowel disease like Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis. IBS affects about 10 to 15% of the population and it is the most common disorder diagnosed by a gastroenterologists worldwide. IBS is a functional or motility disorder of the gastro intestinal tract, and there is no structural abnormality in IBS and all tests like endoscopy, x-ray, ultrasound, blood tests, and stool tests are all normal in IBS. What is the Cause for IBS? It’s a functional or motility disorder with no structural problems in the gastro intestinal tract or anywhere in the body. IBS is most common in the 20 to 40 year age group and more common in females.

Bloating, cramps, diarrhea or constipation, and abdominal pain all these conditions are quite uncomfortable and frustrating on their own. Imagine what a gut-wrenching experience it would be if all these flared up together and that too for a long period of time.

The causes or the factors linked with IBS are:

 1. Stress, Anxiety, Depression and fear are most important psychological factors         invariably common in patients with IBS.

 2. Improper sleep can be a trigger to IBS.

 3. Hormonal fluctuations especially in women during monthly cycles.

 4. Improper Diet especially high calorie meal like a fatty diet can trigger IBS.

 5. Use of laxatives can flare up IBS.

 6. For some people milk and dairy products, wheat, chocolate, coffee, tea can    flare     up IBS.

 7. And sometimes, eating a meal too quickly can trigger IBS.

Symptoms  of Irritable Bowel Syndrome 

Symptoms of  IBS?

Diagnosis is mainly based on symptoms: The symptoms vary in severity and duration from person to person and include:

 1. Abdominal Discomfort or Pain - often in lower abdomen, cramping in nature and relieved by defecation.

2. Diarrhea or Constipation or both alternating constipation and diarrhea.

3. Feeling of passing motions soon after a meal or due to some fear or anxiety.

4. Urgency to pass motions, straining to pass stools, feeling of incomplete evacuation even after passing motions daily.

5. Passing mucus in stools, 6.Gas and Bloating sensation.

7. Fatigue or tiredness.

8. Remember whatever the Symptoms of IBS in day time, they hardly arouse the patient from sleep. How to you Diagnose IBS? This is based on criteria and other structural or organic causes have to be ruled out with basic laboratory tests and colonoscopy or endoscopy, ultrasonography, etc.

Criteria: The Rome criteria require the presence of abdominal pain or discomfort for at least 1 day in a week in the last 3 months along with = 2 of the following symptoms:

 - Pain that is related to defecation.

 - Pain is associated with a change in frequency of defecation.

-  Pain is associated with a change in consistency of stool.

Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome:

You have headaches. You’re in pain. And what do the doctors say? They are looking for signs of inflammation. They perform an ultrasound, a colonoscopy, and allergy tests. They look for all kinds of illnesses. Only when the doctors haven’t found anything, will you get the diagnosis: irritable bowel syndrome. The diagnosis is hazy and it’s a long time coming. And treatment? It’s like groping around in the dark. A change of diet and eating habits. Psychotherapy and stress management. Sometimes antidepressants as well. It works for some, for others it doesn’t. Sometimes it alleviates the symptoms for a short time, sometimes for longer. Many things are tried, with little success. Treating IBS is a matter of “trial and error.” This frustrates patients. And it frustrates doctors. And you still feel bloated, constipated, suffer from diarrhea, urgency and have belly pains.

Unfortunately there is no permanent cure for IBS. However some diet and lifestyle changes can help you a lot. Medications can provide symptomatic relief especially if IBS is worse. Just follow some of these:

1. Eat smaller meals and eat only when hungry and stop when you are still hungry. Avoid foods that trigger IBS as already discussed. Also for constipation type IBS include lot of fiber in diet, whereas for diarrhea type reduce the fiber containing foods.

2. Include Probiotics in diet to help relieve gas and bloating. Probiotics are helpful bacteria and yeasts for your digestive system. Lactobacillus in yogurt is the most common probiotics.

3. Increase physical activity and start exercising daily for at least 30 minutes.

4. Reduce Stress and anxiety - Laugher therapy may be very helpful like remembering or uttering your most funny comedy scene or line may instantly relieve anxiety. Just give it a try.

5. Last resort is medications: these are mainly anti-secretory anti-spasmodic drugs like Hyoscyamine and Dicyclomine. Antidepressants to relieve anxiety and depression and improve sleep. Loperamide is especially useful if you have frequent loose stools.

Diagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome 

Home Remedies for IBS :

While you may not even want to imagine suffering from this situation, unfortunately, it is a sad reality for many people worldwide, medically known as irritable bowel syndrome or IBS. Along with taking necessary precautions, a number of home remedies can also come to your aid to control and manage the symptoms of IBS.

Home Remedy # 1: Peppermint Tea Peppermint oil or tea is considered to be one of the best remedies for IBS. Heat a glass of water in a saucepan. The water should be sufficiently hot and not boiling. Add the peppermint leaves to the water and let it steep for a few minutes. Strain the tea in a cup and add 2 to 3 drops of ingestible peppermint oil to it. Stir well and consume the peppermint tea.

Home Remedy # 2:  Probiotics can be taken both as a preventive measure and one of the most effective remedies for IBS. Eat a cup of yogurt every day to replenish the healthy bacteria in your gut.

Home Remedy # 3: Aloe Vera -If you frequently suffer from constipation due to IBS, you can also try consuming aloe Vera juice. You will get a positive result after the very first use.

Home Remedy # 4: Apple cider vinegar can also a very effective remedy for treating IBS. Mix 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a cup of water. Consume this drink 5 minutes before any meal.

Home Remedy # 5:  Baking soda acts as antacid and helps neutralize the acids in the stomach, thus reliving the bloating, indigestion and the consequent discomfort. Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda in 1 cup of water. Mix it well and drink up. Consuming baking soda will give you immediate relief.

Home Remedy # 6: Psyllium Fiber  is a natural source of fibre that can help in both diarrhea and constipation caused by IBS. Add 1 teaspoon of psyllium fiber to 1 glass of water. Mix it well and drink immediately. Consume the fibre once every day before or during a meal.

Home Remedy # 7:  Coconut oil is rich in essential fatty acids that act as anti-inflammatory agents soothing an irritated stomach and relieving cramps and abdominal pain. Consume 1 tablespoon of organic coconut oil daily to keep symptoms of IBS in check.

Home Remedy # 8: Lemon works by alkalizing the excess acids in your stomach and relieving gas and bloating. Squeeze out the juice of half a lemon in a glass of warm water. Mix it well and sip it slowly for an hour or two. Gulping it down in quickly can lead to heartburn. Along with taking necessary precautions, a number of home remedies can also come to your aid to control and manage the symptoms of IBS. Apply these remedies as per said direction.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Difference between IBS & IBD

They are irritable bowel syndrome or IBS and inflammatory bowel disease or IBD. Let's learn about the differences between IBS and IBD. But what exactly is a syndrome? To help get a better idea, let's think about a car. Now, imagine that something is just not quite right with your car. So you take it into the auto shop. And you tell the mechanic, you know, there's this rattling sound under the hood. And the car has poor acceleration, and the check engine light is on. So the mechanic says, you know, it sounds like it may be car engine rattling syndrome. And that can be caused by many different things. It could be a loose part in the engine, a loose fan belt, or perhaps even low oil. Now, car engine rattling syndrome may not be a real thing, but it demonstrates the idea that a syndrome is not defined by the underlying cause of the problems. There's multiple different causes for this one syndrome, but instead by the sounds and effects that it has on the car. Similarly in medicine, syndromes are conditions that are defined by a set of clinical signs and symptoms and not necessarily by their underlying pathological mechanisms. In fact, most syndromes can be caused by multiple different mechanisms that end up having the same presentation.

Symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Irritable bowel syndrome is a condition that's defined by a specific set of signs and symptoms. Now, this is different from inflammatory bowel disease or IBD. So inflammatory bowel disease is not a syndrome. It is a group of two disorders that occur due to a known mechanism, specifically inflammation. And these disorders are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. So what are the differences between the two? For irritable bowel syndrome, the diagnosis is made clinically based on the frequency and duration of symptoms, specifically recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort at least three days per month for at least three of the last six months plus two or more of the following, pain that is improved with the bowel movement or the onset of pain is associated with the change in bowel movement frequency, such as constipation or diarrhea. And lastly, the onset of the pain is associated with a change in the form of the stool.

The cause or pathological mechanism of IBS is unknown. Now, similar to IBS, the exact cause of inflammatory bowel disease is not well understood. However, the underlying pathological mechanisms that result in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are known and can be identified. So in both of these diseases there is an inappropriate inflammatory response. And this occurs within different portions of the digestive tract. And it results in identifiable and observable pathological intestinal damage. And it's these pathological changes that are necessary to make the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease.

Since both the irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease have similar symptoms, many of the symptoms focused treatments will be beneficial for both conditions. And these include things like diet and lifestyle modifications, such as a high fiber diet and routine physical exercise, as well as medications that speed up or slow down the intestines. And that depends on which symptoms are present. So if there's diarrhea, then you can use anti-diarrheal medications. And if there's constipation, then you can use laxatives. Now, since the mechanisms in IBS and IBD differ, the mechanism focused treatments will also differ. So although the exact mechanism of IBS is not well understood, it can be thought of as anxiety of the gut. And therefore, it responds to similar therapies as anxiety, including cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT and anti-anxiety medications, such as SSRIs. Now, in regards to IBD, as its name suggests, inflammatory bowel disease is due to an inappropriate inflammatory response. Therefore, medications that decrease inflammation, known as anti-inflammatory medications, such as steroids, and medications that change how the immune system and the inflammatory cells act, known as immunomodulators, can be used to decrease and prevent the inflammation that ends up causing inflammatory bowel disease.

What do researchers say?

For them, irritable bowel syndrome or “I.B.S.” for short, is a complex disease. Many factors contribute to I.B.S. Few of them are understood. I.B.S. negatively impacts the quality of life for many and is a huge financial burden on society. Irritable bowel syndrome has a genetic element. Life style, eating habits, infections and stress play a role, too, though. They can cause the disease to break out or make an existing condition worse. Researchers assume there’s a communication disturbance in the nerve pathways between the brain and the gut. Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic disease that requires long-term treatment. Only when we have identified the responsible genetic factors,  we will be able to distinguish between patient subgroups and to choose the correct method of treatment for each. Only then will all the people who are suffering from irritable bowel syndrome regain their quality of life.