Definition:

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the commonest disorders of the digestive system and primarily affects the large intestine. It presents as pain in abdomen, diarrhea and/ or constipation with bloating and gases. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is also commonly known by other names such as spastic colitis, spastic colon, mucous colitis, etc.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects people of all ages though it tends to be common before 35 years of age,with more females being affected as compared to males.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is basically a functional disease in nature which means that though the disease causes abnormalities of function, there are no pathological changes seen in the intestines – no permanent damage to the intestine occurs.

Causes:

Some of these factors include:

• Stress
• Disorders of the immune system
• Hormones
• Hereditary
• Problem with the functioning of the nerves that supply the gut (intestines)

Triggers:

• Certain foods: Milk and milk products, chocolates, tea, coffee, colas, alcohol, etc.
• Bloating and gases may be triggered by the intake of certain vegetables, fruits and carbonated drinks.
• Large meals at any given time can significantly worsen complaints.
• Hormonal changes – such as before, during or after menstruation in women.
• Psychological stress.
• An acute infection of the intestines (such as infectious diarrhea)
• Conventional medicines: Certain drugs used in conventional treatment such as antibiotics, steroids, anti-inflammatory medicines, etc.

Symptoms:

Some of the common symptoms of Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are described here:

• Constipation: The patient gets less than 3 bowel movements a week; stools are hard, difficult to pass and require straining. There may be cramping pain in the abdomen due to the straining at stools.
• Diarrhea: The patient gets more than 3 bowel movements a day; the stools are loose or may be watery in consistency. The stool is generally preceded by an uncontrollable urge to defecate.
• Constipation may alternate with diarrhea in some patients of Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Flatulence, gases
• Bloating and heaviness of abdomen

other general symptoms such as:

• Tiredness, fatigue
• Backache
• Headache
• Generalized body ache and muscle pains
• Anxiety or depression on account of the disease
• Frequent urging for urination or other urinary problems
• Pain during sex, reduced sexual desire

Most of the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) respond well to homeopathic treatment since homeopathy provides safe, gentle and effective solution to this problem.

Diagnosis:

A proper medical history is usually sufficient to diagnose irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in patients and there are no specific tests to diagnose it.Some of the investigations that may be performed for this purpose include:

Blood tests
Stool test
Sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy
Computerized tomography scan (CT scan) of abdomen and pelvis
Lactose intolerance tests – Tests may be done to find out if you have intolerance to lactose (which is found in milk and milk products)

Rome criteria for diagnosing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS):

According to Rome criteria for IBS, a patient must have the following symptoms for at least 12 weeks in the previous 12 months; these weeks need not be consecutive:

Abdominal pain which is:

Relieved by passage of stools
Accompanied by change in frequency of stools at the onset
Accompanied by change in consistency of stools at the onset

In addition, the patient must also have two of the following features at least 25% of the times:

Altered stool frequency
Altered stool form
Altered passage of stools (straining, urgency, etc.)
Mucus with stools
Bloating of abdomen

These criteria are often used by physicians in the clinic set-up to diagnose irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Suggestion about homeopathic treatment:

Irritable bowel syndrome can have a deep impact on the life of the patient even though it is a functional disease. It can significantly alter the patient’s personal, professional as well as social life on account of being a chronic disease.

Homeopathy comes to the rescue of patients here since homeopathic treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is safe, gentle and without any side effects. The medication targets the root of the ailment and thus the healing occurs at the level of the altered immunity. Homeopathy and have had good response in most cases.

The homeopathic treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) takes into consideration the physical as well as mental make up of the patient so that the remedy selected is a perfect match for the patient, leading to long term relief. Homeopathy medicines help in effectively controlling the symptoms such as irregular bowel movements, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, etc. Regular treatment helps in reducing the frequency of attacks gradually so that the person’s health is restored back to normal.

As far as the duration and results of the treatment are concerned, these vary from case to case and are dependent on number of factors such as the severity of the condition, its duration, other parameters like family history, general health of the patient, treatment taken so far, etc.

It is advisable that patients seek Homeopathy treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) without any delay if it is suspected in any given case.