Do you know the Symptoms of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
The main symptoms noticed by those suffering from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) are abdominal pain, bloating, and discomfort, though these can differ from one person to another. Other IBS patients also suffer from constipation which can be characterized by hard, dry, and irregular bowel movements. When attempting to move their bowels, persons who are constipated generally strain hard and experience cramping, but the end result is that they are only able to release a small amount of stool, if any at all. If they do eventually have a bowel movement, sometimes there is mucus in it, which is a fluid that moistens and protect passages in the digestive system. Some people with irritable bowel syndrome experience diarrhea, which is frequent, loose, watery, stools. Those who experience diarrhea are unable to control their bowel movement and hence, need to pass stool every so often. Other people with IBS alternate between constipation and diarrhea. Sometimes people find that their symptoms subside for a few months and then return, while others report a constant worsening of symptoms over time.
Because IBS is a problem with the colon, and the colon removes water from unprocessed food waste, it is common for people with the condition to be constipated or have diarrhea. Constipation occurs when waste matter remains in a person’s colon for too long so that too much water is absorbed, making the stool unusually hard and difficult to pass. In contrast, diarrhea occurs when the waste matter, aided by the colon muscles, moves along the colon too fast so that only very little of the fluid content is removed.
The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are likely to be recurring, which means that a person will have bouts of symptoms on an ongoing basis rather than just a couple of times a year. IBS patients have also reported a worsening of symptoms with certain triggers. For many, they notice this after eating large amounts of food, while for others, constant pressure or stress triggers the more severe attacks. Some women notice that they get symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome around the time of their monthly periods.
The key symptom of IBS is pain or discomfort in the abdomen. This is not to say however, that if you experience stomach aches or bloating at times, you are definitely suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. In general, persons who have been diagnosed with IBS show two or more of the symptoms listed below:
pain or discomfort that is relieved when a person goes to the bathroom and has a bowel movement
pain or discomfort that is accompanied by changes in a person’s regular bowel movement patterns
Abdominal ache or discomfort that comes with changes in a person’s stool appearance. For those who are constipated, stools become dry and harder to pass, while those experiencing diarrhea have loose, watery stool.
If a person exhibits just one of the above symptoms, it’s not likely that he has IBS.
The following are not normally symptoms or characteristics of irritable bowel syndrome:
Blood in stools or urine
Vomiting
Pain or diarrhea that interrupts sleep
Fever
Loss of weight
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