Are you familiar with the feeling when your whole stomach hurts? Does constipation alternate with diarrhea before an important event? Happens to be disturbed by heaviness and bloating? You really want to go to the bathroom, but your bowels never empty? These signs can indicate irritable bowel syndrome.
When is it urgent to see a doctor?
A nutritionist advises seeking help as soon as possible if these symptoms occur:
- vomiting,
- impaired swallowing or pain when swallowing,
- fever of unknown origin,
- Inflammation of the intestines.
You should also pay attention when abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea occur at night or are constant and systematic. These symptoms are not characteristic of irritable bowel syndrome and require urgent intervention by a specialist.
What kind of diagnosis to make in order to diagnose irritable bowel syndrome?
According to the gastroenterologist, the specificity of irritable bowel syndrome is that it is a diagnosis-exceptional. That is, the doctor prescribes an examination to rule out other diseases, and only afterwards makes the diagnosis.
A set of examinations may include: colonoscopy, ultrasound of the abdominal organs, comprehensive fecal analysis.
Are there any irritants that cause irritable bowel syndrome?
Yes. Factors that can affect PPS are:
- Stress – both acute, short-term and chronic,
- surrounding circumstances that make you nervous: moving, flying, exams, job interviews, etc,
- food poisoning,
- unhealthy eating habits,
- bacterial overgrowth syndrome – too much pathogenic flora in the large intestine.
How to treat irritable bowel syndrome?
Treatment is individual and prescribed depending on the complaints – mostly a special diet and medications. Of the medications, antispasmodics, probiotics, and laxatives are possible.
Often a gastroenterologist works on this problem together with a psychotherapist, and the course of treatment lasts at least 2-3 months.
What to eat in irritable bowel syndrome?
The nutritionist refers to worldwide recommendations and recommends the FODMAP diet.
FODMAP is a group of short-chain carbohydrates that are not absorbed in the intestines. The acronym FODMAP stands for fermented oligosaccharides (fructans), disaccharides (lactose), monosaccharides (fructose) and polyols (sugar alcohols).
The nutritionist prescribes a diet based on three FODMAP food categories: low, medium and high. The doctor first eliminates the low FODMAP food group, then introduces one high FODMAP food at a time.
The diet is very individual, so it is almost impossible to give a specific list of foods: the doctor observes the patient’s sensations and makes a diet plan depending on digestibility of the food.
In addition to the diet and medications, it is important to adjust your lifestyle:
- Eat a balanced diet of natural foods,
- Maintain an adequate intake of vitamin D,
- Avoid stress,
- get enough sleep,
- get enough sleep, take frequent walks outdoors, and be physically active,
- avoid contact with animals,
- avoid plastic utensils,
- Do not emphasize absolute sterility and excessive hygiene.
These are simple tips that are often talked about and rarely followed – but they do make a difference.