Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common bowel problem that affects about 15% of the population. IBS is also referred to as spastic colon, spastic colitis, and mucous colitis.
IBS is a functional disease of the muscular organs of the gastrointestinal tract; the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, gallbladder, and colon. What is meant by the term, functional, is that either the muscles of the organs or the nerves that control the organs are not working normally. The nerves that control the organs include the nerves in the muscles of the organs, the spinal cord, and the brain.
Some gastrointestinal diseases can be seen at surgery, on x-rays, and at endoscopies and are easily diagnosed such as ulcers of the stomach. Other diseases can be seen and diagnosed by microscopic examination of biopsies of the small intestine and colon for example; celiac disease and collage nous colitis.
Functional diseases cannot be easily diagnosed. In some cases, the dysfunction can be demonstrated by gastric emptying or antro duodenal motility testing. These tests are complicated and don’t reliably detect digestive system dysfunction. Functional diseases of the digestive system are those diseases which can’t be seen with the naked eye or microscope.
Some infections of the stomach such as Helicobacter pylori cause mild upper intestinal symptoms which can appear to be abnormal function of the stomach or intestines. An infection of the stomach such as Helicobacter pylori can be diagnosed under the microscope by seeing the bacterium and the inflammation gastritis it caused. When treated with antibiotics the patients symptoms disappear.
While IBS is a major functional disease, it is important to mention a second major functional disease referred to as dyspepsia, or functional dyspepsia. The symptoms of dyspepsia are thought to originate from the upper gastrointestinal tract; the esophagus, stomach, and the first part of the small intestine. The symptoms include pain, bloating, or swelling in the upper abdomen. The symptoms of nausea with or without vomiting and a sense of fullness after eating a small amount of food may or may not be related to meals.
Irritable bowel syndrome is a multi-faceted disorder. Symptoms result from a disturbance in the interaction between muscles in the organs of the digestive system, the brain, and the autonomic nervous system that alters regulation of bowel motility motor function or sensory function.
Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by symptoms in which abdominal pain or discomfort is associated with loose or more frequent bowel movements, diarrhea, and or constipation.
Treatment options are available to manage IBS-whether symptoms are mild, moderate, or severe.
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