Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a bowel disorder that is accompanied by abdominal discomfort, pain and irregular bowel movements or abnormal bowel movements.
Although IBS is not a serious, life-threatening issue this can lead to various discomfort that can interfere with your regular day-to-day activities.
The symptoms of IBS can vary from person to person. And the causes are varied too.
People with IBS will have problems keeping up in school or college and even at work. Since diarrhoea is a common symptom of IBS, this can cause great discomfort!
What causes irritable bowel syndrome?
IBS can occur when the muscles in the bowels exhibit abnormal contractions. Proper contraction of bowel is essential for normal bowel movements.
When the bowel contraction becomes abnormal, IBS can occur due to abnormal movement of the stool (or the retention of it).
Apart from that, IBS can be triggered or made worse due to some food items. For instance, vegetables like radish, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale etc. can trigger IBS.
Or if you already had symptoms of IBS, these vegetables can make it worse.
In addition, legumes can also trigger IBS due to their gassy nature. In particular, chick peas, black beans, lentils, red kidney beans, soy nuts and the like are the stuff you have to stay away from!
What are the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome?
IBS is usually associated with discomfort in the abdominal region. You could be bloated, have mild to strong cramps in the stomach region.
Your cramping and pain may be relieved with bowel movement.
You will also notice abnormal bowel movement frequency. You might either be constipated or may have diarrhoea. Some people have alternating diarrhoea and constipation.
Gas or flatulence is quite common with IBS.
Stool consistency will also be abnormal. Some people have solid pellet-like stools, while some others might have more loose and water-like stools. Mucus may also be mixed with the stools.
People with IBS usually have a strong urge to have to use the toilet. This may happen during or shortly after a meal.
Even worse, the urge may subside after bowel movement but a sense of not emptying the rectum might still prevail.
Due to abnormal bowel movement and the associated cramps, other secondary symptoms include
- tiredness (usually due to diarrhoea and dehydration)
- loss of appetite (usually occurs when constipated)
- headache (due to constipation)
- backache (due to frequent and prolonged use of toilet)
- heartburn (due to gassiness)
- muscle pain
Home remedies and other treatment options for irritable bowel syndrome
Even though IBS is not a serious condition, it can be highly annoying and uncomfortable when it gets in the way of your day-to-day activities.
The first thing you should do is to stay away from food that can induce or make IBS worse. Stay away from veggies listed above as well as legumes.
You should typically add more fibre to your diet. But be aware that while fibre in your diet will help improve your bowel movement, it can also create gas and bloating. So you might want to add in a little and experiment.
Eating regularly is another thing that should help reduce IBS symptoms. Stick to your meal times and plan the day ahead so you don’t have to compromise on your meal times.
If you have a meeting in the office during lunch hours, you might want to politely notify your colleagues or even your boss about your health problem.
Make sure you keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of fluids, especially water. And stay away from carbonated drinks and sodas since they will increase gas and bloating as well as irritate your stomach lining.
If you exercise regularly, it can help with constipation as well as reduce stress. If you have gas, exercise will help relieve the same as well.
If you are going to use over the counter medicines for diarrhoea or constipation, make sure you use them in moderation.
You should not use either of them for prolonged time or in overdose. Always consult your doctor before going for self medication.
Dealing with irritable bowel syndrome
As I said this is not a serious health issue. But if it occurs quite often you should consult your doctor.
Also there are no cures to IBS. But any home remedy you adopt will help relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Dealing with IBS can be challenging though. Use these home remedies to tackle the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome!