Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

GASTRO-INTESTINAL TRACT

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a benign, chronic symptom complex of altered bowel habits and abdominal pain.

Altered GI motility occurs in the form of exaggerated gastrocolic reflex, altered gastric emptying, increased small bowel contractions and increased small intestinal transit.
Neurotransmitters such as serotonon may be an important factor. It stimulates intestinal secretion and peristalsis in addition to visceral pain receptors via 5-HT₃ and 5-HT₄ pathways. Serotonin signaling is terminated by a specific serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT) located on enterocytes within the intestinal mucosa. A decrease in SERT leads to increased serotonin concentrations at the receptors.
Psychological disturbances like anxiety, tension and excessive worry are all aetiologically significant.
Certain foods may precipitate an attack.

Those with spastic colitis, having primarily chronic abdominal pain and constipation (IBS with constipation or constipation predominant IBS).
Those with chronic intermittent watery diarrhoea, often without pain (IBS with diarrhoea or diarrhoea-predominant IBS).
Those with both features and alternating diarrhoea and constipation (mixed IBS).

More common in females of the age group 20-40 years.
Abdominal pain is the most common symptom. Pain is referred to left or right iliac fossa or hypogastrium.
Pain often provoked by food and relieved by defecation.
Diarrhoea is often painless, occurs in the morning but never at night.
In constipation-predominant IBS, stools are described as pellet-like, ribbon-like or pencil-like.
Mucus may or may not be present.
Post-prandial tenesmus is common due to an exagerrated gastrocolic reflex.
Other symptoms are abdominal distension, feeling of incomplete evacuation of rectum, excessive flatus, dyspepsia, heart burns, frequency and dysuria.
Extraintestinal symptoms frequent and include headache, back pain, fatigue, myalgia, dyspareunnia and urinary frequency.
Physical examination is usually negative except for a tender sigmoid full of faeces and empty rectal ampulla.

Reassurance to the patient and explanation of symptoms.
Medicines: such health condition usually happens due to underlying anxiety or chronic stress. Homeopathy helps in reducing the mental stress and improves your GUT health this reducing these symptoms.

Few medicines which help in curing these diseases are argentum nitricum, Kali carbonica, strontium carbonica etc.

Other factors like proper healthy food which has less oil and more fiber and more water intake is necessary in such patients.