Irritable bowel syndrome: symptoms and treatment

Irritable bowel syndrome is a problem that causes inflammation of the intestinal villi, causing symptoms such as pain, abdominal bloating, excessive gas and periods of constipation or diarrhea. These symptoms usually get worse due to several causes, ranging from stressful situations to the ingestion of some foods.

Thus, although this syndrome has no cure, it can be controlled with changes in diet and decreased levels of stress, for example. Only in cases where the symptoms do not improve with some changes in daily life, the gastroenterologist recommends the use of medicines.

The frequent presence of the symptoms can worry the person with the irritated intestine, however, the syndrome does not cause any alteration in the intestines and, therefore, in addition to the discomfort, this problem is not dangerous for health, nor does it increase the risk of have cancer.

What are the main symptoms

This problem can be suspected whenever there are constant changes in the functioning of the intestine, without apparent cause. So, if you think you may have this problem, select your symptoms:

1. 1. Abdominal pain or frequent cramps Yes No
2. 2. Feeling of swollen belly Yes No
3. 3. Excessive production of intestinal gases Yes No
4. 4. Diarrhea periods, interspersed with constipation Yes No
5. 5. Increase in the number of evacuations per day Yes No
6. 6. Feces with gelatinous secretion Yes No

It is possible that not all symptoms are present at the same time, it is recommended to evaluate the symptoms over 3 months, for example. In addition, there may be days when symptoms worsen and others when they improve or even disappear completely.

How the diagnosis is made

As this syndrome does not cause changes in the lining of the intestine, the diagnosis is usually made by observing the symptoms and excluding other gastrointestinal diseases, such as colitis or Crohn's disease, for example. For this, the doctor may indicate the performance of tests, such as stool study, colonoscopy, computed tomography or blood test.

What can make symptoms worse

The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome can appear without any specific cause, however, in most cases they get worse due to factors such as:

• Ingestion of bread, coffee, chocolate, alcohol, soft drinks, processed food or milk and dairy products; Eating a diet rich in protein or fiber; Eating a lot of food or with lots of fatty foods; Periods of great stress and anxiety;

In addition, some people may also notice symptoms worsening whenever they travel, try new foods or eat very quickly.

Learn how you can adapt your diet to improve irritable bowel symptoms.

What to do if you have an irritable bowel

The most important thing when you discover irritable bowel syndrome is to try to identify what worsens or causes the appearance of symptoms, so that you can make changes in your daily life and avoid these situations.

In cases where the symptoms are very strong or do not improve with changes in lifestyle, the gastroenterologist may prescribe the use of drugs for diarrhea, laxatives, if the individual is constipated, antispasmodic drugs or antibiotics, for example. example. See more details on how to treat irritable bowel syndrome.