Have you ever felt pain in your stomach? Or notice discomfort due to constipation?
If you have stomach or intestine pain, this indicates you’re susceptible to irritable bowel syndrome or constipation.
According to the research of 2021, 4.5% of Americans were prone to Irritable Bowel Syndrome, while 57% visited a chiropractor.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome doesn’t affect the tissues or cause rectal cancer; instead, it causes pain in the stomach and intestine.
Thus, one should consider consulting a gastroenterologist for proper medication and treatment. To get rid, visit the best San Diego chiropractor.
What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a multifactorial disorder of the abdomen and intestine. It can cause various symptoms, including abdominal pain, bloating, gas, constipation, and diarrhea.
Individuals suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome can overcome this disorder by maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle and controlling stress.
IBS is also known as irritable bowel syndrome, spastic colon, nervous colon, and mucous colitis by doctors.
Symptoms
Many people are unable to distinguish between a gastrointestinal disorder and ordinary pain. Here are some signs that indicate you have Irritable bowel syndrome.
- Abdominal (stomach) pain
- The trouble with bowel habits like diarrhea and constipation
- More complex or looser bowel movements
- Bloating, alternating with gas
- Indigestion
- Constipation
- Flatulence
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Headache
Irritable bowel syndrome symptoms will likely occur for three or even six months.
Causes
The exact cause of IBS hasn’t been specified yet, but it is thought to be related to a problem with muscle contractions in the intestine wall.
1. Dysmotility
The gastrointestinal tract contracts when food moves through it; changes in the colon and small intestine disturb movement speed.
Diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D) causes faster muscle movements, while people suffering from slower contractions are susceptible to constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C).
2. Visceral Hypersensitivity
Visceral hypersensitivity stimulates intense sensitivity and severity in the internal organs. IBS patients experience nervous distension, intestine, brain dysfunction, and gastrointestinal nerve sensitization.
Also, IBS modulates rectal pain; this stimulation amplifies pain and alters responses in brain parts, causing anxiety and depression.
3. Gastroenteritis
Bacterial overgrowth causes bouts of bouncing and diarrhea. While gastroenteritis is the abnormal exaggeration of viruses and bacteria in the intestine, it aggravates IBS.
In diagnostic testing, chronic inflammation of cells isn’t visible but is associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
4. Triggers
Certain foods may trigger symptoms of IBS, such as fatty foods, caffeine, alcohol, and certain types of carbohydrates.
5. Food
Food intolerance or allergy triggers IBS symptoms. Insoluble foods like fiber, processed foods, spicy and fried foods, gluten, dairy products, alcohol, fructose, and carbonated drinks worsen IBS.
6. Stress
Some other symptoms may also worsen the syndrome, and stress is one of the common causes. During anxiety, the colon spasms, which also spurs discomforting stomach cramps. Even cortisol triggers beneficial bacteria in the gut to provoke IBS conditions.
Eating a healthy diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains may help reduce symptoms of IBS.
Risk Factors
Check which individuals are at risk of being prone to irritable bowel syndrome or constipation.
1. Being a Woman
Irritable bowel syndrome is more likely to occur in women than in men. Hormonal changes can be a leading cause of IBS in women. Estrogen therapy can also be related to IBS.
2. Aging
Aging usually occurs in people under 50. It is more common in teenagers, as they face such issues due to the type of diet they take, like junk food.
3. Genetics
Genetic problems lead to IBS. In this case, the disease transfers from one generation to another. It infects the next generation of the family through gene transfer from their elders.
4. Stress
Another factor is high stress, which results in colon spasms. Anxiety or depression can also lead to IBS, resulting in severe depression.
5. Early Disease
Irritable bowel syndrome can be caused by a previous gastroenteritis disease or infection, as well as an irregular intake of antibiotics.
IBS Treatment
There are specific strategies that can help manage and treat IBS, including:
1. Managing stress
Poor sleep, uncontrolled use of alcohol, and restless work hours aggravate stress, panic, and bowel symptoms. Stress can worsen IBS symptoms, so finding ways to relax and reduce stress is essential.
2. Dietary & Lifestyle
Maintaining a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and regular exercise can help relieve IBS symptoms.
Moreover, reduce carbohydrate intake, caffeine, and fatty foods because such foods stimulate bloating, diarrhea, and constipation and inhibit digestion activity.
Such dietary modifications help improve a person’s lifestyle.
3. Taking Medications
Antispasmodics can help to relax the muscles in the wall of the intestine and reduce cramping and pain. Tricyclic antidepressants also relieve pain.
4. Muscle Relief Tablets
People suffering from IBS experience muscle aches due to severe stomach pain. These pills are solutions for muscle pain.
5. Antidiarrheal Medicines
Antidiarrheal medicines improve the stability of your stomach. Such treatments maintain bowel habits, reducing the need for toilets and improving the consistency of feces.
6. Laxatives
A medication used to get rid of constipation. It cures patients suffering from intense constipation for days or months.
7. Antibiotics
Treatment of IBS may also include antibiotics. IBS leads to indigestion, and antibiotics induce the digestion of poorly fermented carbohydrates.
8. Antidepressant
IBS triggers emotional stress and eliminates hunger; in such cases, antidepressants play their role in lowering anxiety. In addition, it relieves the nervous system’s and gut tissues’ stress to eliminate discomfort.
Therapies
1. Probiotics
Stomach acids kill natural microorganisms, which imbalance the activity of bacteria in the gut.
Doctors recommend introducing probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that live in the gut and are used to improve health. Some studies have shown that taking probiotics may help reduce the symptoms of IBS.
2. Acupuncture
In this traditional therapeutic method, therapists insert needles into the skin, which relieves stress, anxiety, insomnia, and migraines. Also, acupuncture lowers gastrointestinal pain, stomach discomfort, and dysmotility.
If these medications don’t work, go for mental health therapies to release emotional stresses that end up causing IBS, including:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Hypnotherapy
- Biofeedback
Conclusion:
It is essential to consult a doctor or a gastroenterologist if you have IBS symptoms that persist and affect your daily life.
Let me tell you if you don’t know where to go for the treatment.
A chiropractor in San Diego will help you determine the best course of treatment and manage Irritable Bowel Syndrome/ Constipation.
Dr. Zach Beatty, DC
Gonstead Family Chiropractic
Location:
7822 convoy court San Diego CA 92111
Phone Number: 858-997-8203