| IBS can seem to come from nowhere, and its | | | | the symptoms of IBS. |
| sufferers often have trouble figuring out why | | | | |
| they are afflicted. The latest research sheds | | | | Another more common theory is that IBS is a |
| some light on the problem. | | | | stress-related disease. It is often suggested |
| | | | that stress, anxiety and depression cause |
| A number of theories aim to explain the | | | | IBS, but thinking is now more along the lines |
| disease in terms of physiological disorder. | | | | that these psychological maladies only |
| These include possibilities such as smooth | | | | exacerbate the symptoms rather than bring |
| muscle abnormalities, altered small | | | | them on. Research has found the colon muscle |
| intestinal mobility, or a sensory condition | | | | of someone with IBS is more sensitive than |
| causing normal mobility of the gut to feel | | | | that of a non-sufferer, which means that IBS |
| strange and abnormal to a person. However, no | | | | sufferers have strong reactions to stimuli |
| real evidence has been found to support any | | | | that would not affect others. It is also |
| of these explanations. It is in fact often | | | | suggested that hormones may influence |
| the case that IBS sufferers are thought of as | | | | symptoms, as women generally have more |
| hypochondriacs without any real problem, and | | | | symptoms of IBS when menstruating. |
| doctors who hold this belief tend to almost | | | | |
| disregard their patients' gastrointestinal | | | | A third possible cause of IBS is food |
| complaints. | | | | intolerance. Although caffeine and alcohol |
| | | | are generally found to aggravate IBS, |
| It is possible that an overgrowth of bacteria | | | | different individuals may find they have |
| is what causes irritable bowel syndrome. The | | | | 'trigger' foods which vary widely. Sometimes |
| surge of bacteria would be present in the | | | | this can be found out by trial and error in |
| small intestine, as one researcher publishing | | | | diet, but it is only possible to confirm food |
| in the Journal of the American Medical | | | | intolerance by blood testing for antibodies. |
| Association has proposed. The proposal | | | | Once the foods are identified by the test, |
| suggested that ordinary bacteria normally | | | | they can be cut out of the diet, leading to |
| found in the large intestine may end up in | | | | an improvement in IBS symptoms. It is even |
| the small intestine giving rise to the | | | | the case that after a time, the foods which |
| characteristic symptoms of IBS; uncomfortable | | | | were previously a problem can be phased back |
| bloating and gas and a change in bowel | | | | into the diet as the immune system appears to |
| movements, together with muscle and joint | | | | reset itself in the interim. Food intolerance |
| pain, chronic fatigue and headaches which are | | | | testing kits are available from some |
| sometimes found in sufferers. There may be | | | | pharmacies to make it easier to identify |
| 100 trillion bacteria in the gut, but they | | | | problem foods that may provoke the symptoms |
| are usually scarce in the small intestine, so | | | | of IBS. |
| an increase in bacteria here may account for | | | | |