Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Awareness Month falls in April each year. IBS is the most common disorder of the digestive system, with up to one third of the UK population experiencing symptoms.
WHAT IS IBS?
- IBS is thought to be caused by the gut and brain over-communicating. In other words, talking to one another too much.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF IBS?
Symptoms can include:
- Constipation, diarrhoea or a mixture of the two
- Abdominal pain
- Abnormal bowel habits
- Wind, bloating and distension ( a widening of the firth of the abdomen)
- Pooing mucus
- 1/3 of IBS patients have bouts of constipation. Another 1/3 have bouts of diarrhoea. The final 1/3 don't fall into a single pattern
- Feeling tired
- Nausea (feeling sick)
- Backache
- Bladder symptoms
AT WHAT AGE DOES IBS BEGIN?
- IBS can happen at any age but the usual age for patients to seek advice is between 20 and 40 years.
DOES IBS AFFECT WOMEN OR MEN MORE?
- Women are slightly more affected than men by IBS.
WHAT TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE FOR IBS?
- Treatments are very individual, as they can vary depending on the symptoms. They can include medications, diet A digital character drawing of the colon, small intestine, stomach and bottom of the oesophagus. The character is sat down with their legs out to the right hand side, wearing black boots. They have a sad expression on their face and lifestyle factors. It’s important to work alongside your doctor on what treatments you’d like to try. It’s important to remember that what works for one person may not work for the next. Learn as much as you can about what there is out there to try when it comes to IBS treatment.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO RAISE AWARENESS OF IBS?
- There are often many presumptions and misunderstandings when it comes to IBS. Not every illness is visible and you don’t have to look a certain way to have IBS. It’s time to encourage conversations about our toilet habits, because going to the toilet is really one of the most natural processes out there, which is common to us all.