Irritable Bowel Syndrome: What it is and How to Treat it

What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Did you know that if you were to stretch your intestine right up to the point where it would it snap…that it would hurt like the dickens? Seriously, though, the intestines are an amazingly elastic piece of bodily equipment and contrary to popular belief they are the body part that is most like a snake. The intestines usually contract in an impossibly smooth manner, working food through the digestive system. When this process gets interrupted by spasms that result in irregular bowel movements and abdominal cramping that lasts for extended periods, what you’ve got there is Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Did you know that Irritable Bowel Syndrome is the single most common complaint related to digestion in America? How common? It is estimated that up to a fifth of all adults in the US will seek treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome at some point in their lives.

What are the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

To begin with, symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to several months. In addition, many people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome can expect to experience symptoms off and on throughout their lives. The typical symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome including a ping-ponging of diarrhea and constipation; bloating, flatulence, heartburn and, of course, abdominal cramps. Fecal matter usually either resembles rabbit pellets or is long and mucous-y. (You just had to know that, didn’t you?) It is not unusual to still experience the feeling of having to go to the bathroom immediately after having gone. Women usually experience more intense symptoms concurrent with their period. The good news is that as painfully unpleasant as Irritable Bowel Syndrome is, it doesn’t lead to worse conditions and should not be taken as a precursor of something dramatic like cancer.

What are the treatments of Irritable Bowel Syndrome?