Constipation Due To IBS

People who have irritable bowel syndrome will normally suffer from diarrhea at some point in time. Some people with IBS also suffer from constipation and some of them have both diarrhea and constipation as alternate conditions. Constipation is a very normal medical complaint among many people and over 2 billion visits to doctors occur due to constipation. But there are many ways of treating as well as avoiding constipation.

People who are suffering from constipation specially constipation due to IBS should resort to following a fiber rich diet. Fiber is very essential for people who have been afflicted with IBS. There are two basic kinds of fiber namely soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. There are many advantages to having soluble fiber namely it reduces the symptoms of IBS. Fiber helps in preventing the convulsions and it keeps the colon distended by absorbing water. This will help in preventing the stools from becoming too hard and difficult to remove from the body. Plenty of fiber should be included in the diet to ensure that the stools are soft and hence they can be removed from the body easily. The initial introduction to a fiber diet can cause a lot of gas and bloating and these symptoms will reduce as the body gets readjusted. Fiber can also be added to the diet by using fiber supplements.

Many people suffer from the problem of dehydration though they are not aware of it. Dehydration for a long period of time can lead to constipation. Eight glasses of water of eight ounces each should be consumed everyday on a regular basis. Drinks containing caffeine should be avoided since they cause dehydration. Water should be consumed at regular intervals during the day in order to avoid dehydration.

The dearth of regular exercise is also another reason for dehydration. Many people are aware that regular exercise is very essential in order to maintain the overall health of the body. This also helps in providing relief from constipation. Thirty minutes of exercise everyday is the recommendation of the US surgeon general. This can even mean taking a brisk walk. This will be adequate to maintain and improve overall health.

People who are having very severe constipation will be tempted to resort to using laxatives. Laxatives can easily be obtained over the counter at any pharmacy or drug store. But extreme care and precaution needs to be exercised while using these laxatives since they can sometimes damage the colon. They will damage the nerves of the colon and due to this the colon will find it difficult to contract and pass stools properly. When enemas are used too often, they will start affecting the nerves of the colon. There are many different kinds of foods, which perform the function of natural laxatives. People having diarrhea IBS will want to avoid these foods while people having constipation IBS would love to have these foods.

Regular constipation can lead to further problems like hemorrhoids and other anal fissures. Hemorrhoids are varicose veins, which occur as a result of the strain involved in passing stools. A burning sensation, itching and bleeding are some of the symptoms. A fissure is a tear near the anal canal, which is the last portion of the rectum before the anus. People suffering from fissures will have painful bowel movements as well as bleeding. The pressure on the anal canal needs to be reduced in order to treat fissures.

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Common Symptoms In Diagnosing IBS

IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a gastrointestinal affliction. It affects about 15 to 25 percent of people. It is a chronic condition affecting the small or the large bowels. IBS can cause different degrees of discomfort and distorted bowel habits. A large amount of patients visit their doctor for gastrointestinal and related complaints, some patients have enormous anxiety regarding factors that cause IBS. Physicians use a confidential diagnosis as an initial and crucial step to provide patients a clear explanation, an effective treatment and therefore reducing the patients’ anxiety. IBS symptoms may be attributed to other factors and conditions in your health and must always be diagnosed by a physician. Patients are usually diagnosed with IBS after exhibiting structural or biochemical abnormalities. Considerations of differential possibilities from the signs and symptoms are observed and given by the patient in order to obtain a positive or negative diagnosis for IBS.

Your doctor will investigate and detail your symptoms and take your health history into consideration and perform a complete physical examination to accurately diagnose the issue. Lab work for blood and stools and endoscopic procedures are also performed to either confirm that it is IBS and to rule out other possible conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease or colon cancer.

Adrian Manning and his colleagues developed the symptom criteria that was used in the diagnosis of IBS in 1978 where the key factor is having the patient describe the symptoms they are experiencing. The criteria is composed of 6 symptoms; first is visible abdominal distension; second is relief of pain with or after bowel movement, third is more frequent bowel movement with the onset of pain, fourth is loose stools at onset of pain, fifth is passage of mucus via the rectum, and the sixth is feeling of incomplete evacuation. Patients that experience the first four symptoms are likely to suffer from IBS. The last two symptoms are not typical for IBS as are the first four although the symptoms are present for IBS sufferers. This was known as the Manning Criteria.

Gastroenterologists in Rome held an international consensus meeting in 1988 where they further specified the criteria for IBS and these criteria were revised in 1999 are now called Rome II criteria. The symptoms that cumulatively support the diagnosis of IBS are as follows in the Rome II criteria; first is abnormal stool frequency. Second is abnormal stool form, wherein stool may be lumpy or watery, and a diagnostic aid called Bristol stool form scale or the BSF-Scale is used to classify the stool form into seven groups because the stool’s form depends on the time it spent in the colon and a parallel between the colonic transit time and the BSF type is obtained. Abnormal stool passage is the third criteria, possible straining and urgency and sometimes a feeling of incomplete evacuation. The passage of mucus is the fourth criteria, and bloating or feeling of abdominal distension is the 5th criteria. IBS needs to be correctly diagnosed and confirmed by a doctor.

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Definition of Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is the swelling or the inflammation of the large intestine or the colon. There are many different reasons for the occurrence of ulcerative colitis. This could be due to certain acute and chronic infections, some inflammatory problems like Crohns colitis, lymphocytic and collagenous colitis, lack of proper blood circulation or ischemic colitis and past radiation of the large bowel. Some of the symptoms of colitis are bloating and pain in the abdomen, diarrhea and stools containing blood, dehydration and an increase in gas from the intestine. The symptoms are very similar to that of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and therefore very important that you consult your doctor to have it properly diagnosed.

The doctor or the health care provider can help in diagnosing colitis by putting a long flexible tube inside the rectal region. This procedure is known as a flexible sigmoidoscopy or a colonoscopy and helps in diagnosing the actual condition of certain portions of the colon. Biopises, which are taken at the time of these tests, will also show any changes, which have taken place due to the inflammation. An MRI scan or a CT scan of the abdomen, an X-ray of the abdomen and Barium enemas are some of the other tests which will help in identifying the symptoms of colitis.

The treatment for colitis involves treating the main cause of the medical condition. The particular infection or inflammation will have to be treated properly. The prognosis will be different according to the disease. Excessive bleeding might take place and the patient could develop sores or ulcers. Sometimes there could a hole in the colon or the colon might significantly increase, this is known as a toxic mega colon. A doctor needs to be contacted immediately if symptoms like pain the abdomen, blood in the stools and an expanded or a distended abdomen are present.

There are many different types of colitis. CMV colitis is a viral infection of the colon,  Crohns disease is otherwise known as regional enteritis,  Cryptosporidium enter colitis, ischemic colitis or the lack of proper blood circulation, necrotizing enter colitis, pseudo membranous colitis and ulcerative colitis are just some of the various types of colitis. The symptoms of the specific condition need to be taken into account in order to determine the causes and also for the doctor to recommend the course of treatment in order to cure and heal the state of health.

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