Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

IBS is a chronic condition. Symptoms include stomach cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea and/or constipation.

The good news is that IBS has not been found to damage bowel tissue or put us at a higher risk for colorectal cancer.

The exact cause of IBS has really been determined and people may have different things that trigger it. However, scientists have found some possible reasons:

• People with IBS may have more pain/pressure receptors that cause discomfort when abdomen stretches from gas or stool. There may also be a lack of communication between brain and intestines which may cause body to overcompensate.
  
• Some people may have weaker muscled contractions to move food down the digestive tract which may lead to uncomfortable constipation. That is because the longer stool stays in the colon from sluggish muscle movements, stool becomes drier since colon recycles the water back into the body.
  
• Early life stress can increase the likelihood that someone has IBS.
  
• The microbes in the gut may be different than people who don’t. And changes in bacteria, fungi and viruses may aggravate the symptoms.
  
• Infections in the GI tract from a bacteria or virus can contribute to IBS and if it is severe enough, it can lead to small intestine overgrowth.

Triggers for IBS can come from food and stress. A low fodmap and stress. A low fodmap diet and gut focused hypnotherapy can help almost 80% of people with IBS.