Irritable Bowel Syndrome: The Pain of it All

If you suffer with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, you know as well as I do that it is one of the most irritating symptoms of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFS). It is reported that approximately 60 percent of patients who suffer with Irritable Bowel Syndrome also have Fibromyalgia. As many as 70 percent of Fibromyalgia patients have reported to their doctors symptoms they experienced of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

What Is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is considered a functional disorder of the colon. Irritable Bowel Syndrome is classified as a functional gastrointestinal disorder because no structural or biochemical cause can be found to explain the symptoms. When patients with IBS are fully tested, the colon will show no signs of inflammation, ulcers or disease. Irritable Bowel Syndrome is diagnosed after all other digestive disorders and diseases have been ruled out. Even though Irritable Bowel Syndrome can be very painful for some, it does not cause any other diseases.

Muscles in the colon normally contract a few times per day, moving the feces along and ultimately resulting in a bowel movement. The theory with Irritable Bowel Syndrome patients is that their muscles are believed to be extremely sensitive to certain triggers. Triggers such as certain foods, medications and stress can cause a strong response in the colon of a person with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This can cause the muscles to contract while the person is eating, leading to stomach cramps and diarrhea shortly after eating. For me, this problem is very annoying and it usually happens when we eat out in a restaurant. I no sooner finish my meal, get in the car to go, and my stomach will start cramping severely. There have been many times where my husband has had to stop at several places on the way home for me to use the restroom.