Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional GI disorder characterized by abdominal pain and altered bowel habits in the absence of specific and unique organic pathology. Osler coined the term mucous colitis in 1892 when he wrote of a disorder of mucorrhea and abdominal colic with a high incidence in patients with coincident psychopathology. Since that time, the syndrome has been referred to by sundry terms, including spastic, irritable, and nervous colon.
Traditionally, IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion. No specific motility or structural correlates have been consistently demonstrated, so IBS remains a clinically defined illness.
The criteria to distinguish IBS from organic disease are as follows:
. Onset of pain associated with more frequent bowel movements.
. Onset of pain associated with looser bowel movements
. Pain relieved by defecation.
. Visible abdominal bloating.
. Subjective sensation of incomplete evacuation more than 25% of the time.
. Mucorrhea more than 25% of the time.
Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder in which the nerves in the body that usually work to control the muscles in the GI tract are too active, thereby causing it to become sensitive to food, stool, gas and so on. There are many different methods of treatment that are available for irritable bowel syndrome, one of the most common being the drug treatment for irritable bowel syndrome It is important to realize however that there is no single drug used for all cases of irritable bowel syndrome. Rather, you are going to have to work together with your doctor and get a proper diagnosis of your condition, so that you can determine what specific drug treatment for irritable bowel syndrome is going to be best suited for you.
Besides drug treatment for irritable bowel syndrome there are also a few other things that you are going to want to do as well. Remember that the primary goal for treatment of an irritable bowel syndrome condition is to reduce the symptoms, and this is something that can usually be accomplished with basic stress management techniques or positive changes in the diet. Then if the symptoms continue, ongoing care by a physician is often the most ideal option. It is also important to remember that even if you may be on a drug treatment for irritable bowel syndrome, you should not depend on this as a permanent method of treatment, but rather should aim to live a healthier lifestyle in general and that by taking seemingly small steps, including eating more fruits and vegetables and drinking more water, you will be doing a great favor for yourself in terms of treating your condition. Every little thing you can do is going to make a difference here, and so you should try to do as many things as you can in terms of relieving your condition.
Besides regular therapy and counseling, another great idea for irritable bowel syndrome sufferers is to join a group therapy class. This gives you an opportunity to meet others who are also suffering from the condition and you will have people to give you firsthand opinions on their own experiences, as well as have people there who can answer any questions that you may have. This condition is incredibly common worldwide, and if you ever experience any of the symptoms associated with this disorder then you should seek medical attention as soon as possible in order to have a proper assessment and diagnosis.
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