According to statistics, from 15 to 50 % of adult population suffer from irritable bowel syndrome or IBS. Women of childbearing age are subjected to this disease most of all.
Sometimes the initial course of IBS begins after 40 years. In this case a careful medical inspection is especially necessary (probably, at this age the disease has developed as the consequence an organic pathology).
Far from all people with irritable bowel syndrome address to the doctor, hence, not everyone knows about the diagnosis. Statistics say, not more than 10 % of the total amount of IBS patients call the doctor and get diagnosed.
Irritable bowel syndrome is the irritation of intestinal receptors that results in the functional disorder of the colon. Usually it occurs because of lactose and other sugars, fatty acid, alimentary agents, purgatives, infections caused by dysbacteriosis, etc.
Quite often irritable bowel syndrome develops after acute intestinal infections accompanied with dysbacteriosis. People with unstable mentality and also those who has gone through nervous breakdowns caused by a serious physical or psychological load are most subjected to it.
Most often abnormal intestinal motility and various hormonal disorders lead to pathology of the intestines in case of irritable bowel syndrome. Also IBS can become an instinctive protection against stress (there is such psychological phenomenon). A high level of anxiety, hyperexcitability, sleeping disorders, and depressions are characteristic of IBS patients.
However many of these signs do not precede irritable bowel syndrome and, on the contrary, accompany it during its development. In that case they practically disappear in course of treatment.
Dietary habits play an essential role in occurrence of some symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. The normal motility of an intestine assumes presence of such volume of intestinal contents which is necessary to excite receptors of intestinal walls. The volume of intestinal contents is determined first of all by the amount of ballast substances that hold water, absorb toxicants, stimulate motility, etc.
Besides, motor disorders characteristic of IBS can be connected with other collateral factors. The peak of motor activity of the left departments of the colon and the rectum is marked in the morning after breakfast. That's why in most cases defecation happens in the morning after meal. Refusal from full breakfast and haste during food consumption in the morning suppress normal functioning of gastrointestinal reflex and result in constipation. Therefore, constipation is a usual symptom of irritable bowel syndrome.
Gynecologic disorders also can be the causes of IBS. The intensity and periodicity of IBS symptoms among many women is directly proportional to the clinical course of gynecologic disorders.
According to medical statistics, the majority of patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome has a superfluous bacterial growth in the small intestine in 68,8 % of cases and 98,4 % of IBS patients have dysbacteriosis of the colon.
Among the consequence of irritable bowel syndrome there are disorders of motor, secretory, digestive and other functions of the small intestine. Thus, contents with aggressive properties get to the colon. Because of the changes of microflora caused by dysbacteriosis processes of digestion and adsorption are also upset in the colon. Motor and secretory functions of the colorectum can be consequently disturbed as well.
Devin Greenfield writes for About Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Visit this website to learn more about the subject.
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