What Causes Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable bowel syndrome (also known as IBS) is a
chronic condition affecting the functioning of the gut. It
causes abdominal pain and altered bowel movements. Around 20% of
all people in the UK develop irritable bowel syndrome at some
time in their lives; often when they are young adults.
This article will examine the common causes of irritable
bowel syndrome (IBS).
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a very common problem,
but many people are embarrassed to talk about it which means
that they do not seek help when they should.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) causes continuous
abdominal pain and cramping, constipation and/or diarrhea and
bloating. It can also be an underlying cause of headaches,
non-cardiac related chest pain and lower back pain.
The exact cause of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is not
clear, although scientists believe that it has something to do
with over activity in parts of the gut and a change in the way
the brain communicates with the GI tract. The reason that the
exact cause of irritable bowel syndrome is unknown is that no
physical abnormalities have been found in sufferers to explain
the symptoms.
Certain foods and stress seem to trigger the symptoms of
irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) . However, this has never
been proven conclusively.
Intolerance to certain food such as dairy products, tea and
coffee can trigger irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms.
However food sensitivity is thought to only cause irritable
bowel syndrome in a small number of cases.
Stress can play a role in causing irritable bowel syndrome
(IBS) by leading to over activity of the nerves and/or gut.
Around 50% of irritable bowel syndrome sufferers link stress
with the onset of symptoms and their worsening during periods of
anxiety.
Some people believe that irritable bowel syndrome is caused by a
continuing gut infection. However, this is not true although in
some cases the onset of symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome
comes after someone has been ill with gastroenteritis or has
taken antibiotics. This implies that certain germs can bring on
symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.