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Home > Digestive > Conditions > Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

August 31, 2020 - Updated on August 6, 2021
5 min read
By Priyanka Chugh, MD | Gastroenterologist
Medically Reviewed by Julien Fahed, MD | Gastroenterologist

In this article:

  • Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • Standard Medical Treatment
  • How is IBS Diagnosed?
  • Final Word

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common digestive disorder that leads to the simultaneous onset of several distressing symptoms like recurrent abdominal pain as well as bouts of diarrhea and constipation.

ibs causes and treatment

The exact cause for this condition is unclear but it can be triggered by a variety of factors. Since there is no single etiology for this disease, and the symptoms vary from person to person, the treatment for IBS has to be fine-tuned according to the needs of each individual patient.

Bur bear in mind, the goal of treatment is to ease your digestive distress and reduce flare-ups rather than curing the condition itself.

Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The exact etiology of IBS is not clearly known as of yet. However, several factors may engender it. These include:

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what causes irritable bowel syndrome?

1. Diet

Diets low in fiber content or containing extremely sweet or spicy foods.

2. Intolerance to food items

Poor digestion of the sugars lactose (present in most dairy and processed items), fructose (found in syrups), and sorbitol (found in stone fruits and dried fruits).

3. Infections

Bacterial infections in the digestive tract such as gastroenteritis (even after the microorganism has been removed).

4. Excessive bacteria

Increased number of bacteria in the small intestine or a change in their type.

5. Psychosocial factors of psychosocial dysfunction

Anxiety disorder, depression, and somatic symptom disorders.

6. Early life events

Traumatic memories of the past that may have induced stress, such as physical or sexual abuse.

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7. Emotional stress

Strong emotions, such as anger, anxiety, frustration, nervousness, and stress, which can affect the bowel nerves.

8. Gastrointestinal motor problems

IBS is characterized by an abnormal or irregular movement of the colon muscles. Constipation occurs when the intestinal muscles do not move as fast as they normally should, whereas loose motions are the result of unusually rapid muscle movement.

Standard Medical Treatment

medical treatment options for treating ibs

Your doctor will most likely prescribe medications to soothe your symptoms. These include:

1. Anti-diarrheal drugs

Anti-diarrheal drugs such as loperamide or Vibrezi. However, individuals who consume alcohol or those who have had their gallbladder removed should avoid using Vibrezi.

2. Antibiotics

Antibiotics may be prescribed if tests show an overgrowth of intestinal bacteria.

3. Antispasmodic medications

Antispasmodic medications such as dicyclomine, hyoscine, pinaverium, and cimetropium to regulate the contractions of the colon muscles and relieve the abdominal pain.

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4. Medicine for women with constipation-predominant IBS

IBS medicine for women who have constipation-predominant IBS includes lubiprostone (FDA approved), Linaclotide, and Prucalopride.

5. Laxatives and stool softeners

Laxatives and stool softeners are routinely used as the first-line treatment for IBS-C, as they help stimulate bowel movement and facilitate the easy passage of stools to relieve constipation. (1)

Laxatives, especially those that contain non-digested sugars or sugar alcohol, do not suit everyone but the ones containing polyethylene glycol are usually found to be the most effective, provided they are taken in the correct dosage.

6. Surgical options

If your IBS symptoms do not respond to any of the above-mentioned drug therapies or if your condition gives way to more serious complications, your doctor may consider surgical options.

Depending upon the severity of your IBS, your colon may have to be removed either partially or entirely. Surgery is mostly recommended for older patients who have grappled with this illness for many years.

7. Biofeedback

Biofeedback is a new-age therapy that involves recording the patient’s physiological responses to stress and relaxation. The findings are then shared with the patient. (2)

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Through this feedback, the patient learns to manipulate his/her physiological activity to get better health results. The same technique may enable IBS patients to improve their digestive functioning as well.

How is IBS Diagnosed?

Diagnosing IBS is very important in order to get prompt treatment.

  1. The doctor first assesses your symptoms and analyzes your family and medical history.
  2. This is followed by a physical examination. The doctor evaluates your condition, checking for pain and bloating in your abdominal region. The doctor may also check the sounds in your stomach using a stethoscope.
  3. Some tests may also be prescribed by the doctor to rule out other conditions that may be causing your symptoms and to get an inside view of the digestive tract to detect any abnormalities. These include:
    • Blood tests
    • Stool tests
    • Colonoscopy (3)(4)
    • Sigmoidoscopy
    • Upper endoscopy
    • Other imaging tests such as CT scan of the pelvis or abdomen, enterography, or MRI.

Final Word

The cause of IBS is multifactorial and therefore, not one strategy is likely to benefit. A combination of lifestyle, dietary, medical, and psychological interventions is likely to be needed to control IBS symptoms.

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You have to work closely with your doctor to come up with a treatment plan that is customized to meet your individual needs. Continuity of care is equally important to ensure successful outcomes since this is a chronic problem that can only be managed rather than cured.

Continue Reading Continue ReadingIrritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Home Remedies and Self-Care
References
  1. Chandar AK. Diagnosis and treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with predominant constipation in the primary-care setting: focus on linaclotide. International journal of general medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5673039/. Published October 31, 2017.
  2. Goldenberg JZ, Brignall M, Hamilton M, Beardsley J, Lichtenstein B. Biofeedback for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6464925/. Published January 26, 2017.
  3. Kim ES; Cheon JH; Park JJ; Moon CM; Hong SP; Kim TI; Kim WH; Colonoscopy as an adjunctive method for the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome: focus on pain perception. Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20594249/.
  4. Chey WD, Nojkov B, Rubenstein JH, Dobhan RR, Greenson JK, Cash BD. The yield of colonoscopy in patients with non-constipated irritable bowel syndrome: results from a prospective, controlled US trial. The American journal of gastroenterology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2887227/. Published April 2010.
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