Irritable bowel syndrome: When digestion causes problems for no apparent reason
Regular abdominal pain, nausea, constipation, diarrhea or just “just” a feeling of discomfort in the abdominal area: Irritable bowel syndrome can manifest itself in very different ways. It is one of the most common diagnoses among gastrointestinal diseases. Around 10 to 15 percent of the population suffer from the symptoms, women about twice as often as men.
Many irritable bowel patients suffer from cramping abdominal pain, which occurs regularly and usually in connection with bowel movements. It comes to constipation or diarrhea, sometimes this also changes. A specific trigger for the syndrome is not recognizable in most cases. Affected people therefore often puzzle for a long time without any result about the reasons for their digestive problems.
Sometimes irritable bowel syndrome occurs during pregnancy and then goes away. Symptoms improve or worsen in some pregnant women who have previously struggled with IBS. Since digestive problems can disrupt the absorption of folic acid, vitamins and minerals, pregnant women should seek advice from their gynecologist about taking nutritional supplements.
Irritable bowel syndrome is a fairly complex disease: researchers have now identified several irritable bowel subtypes. They also suspect that different triggers are possible, which can occur side by side or influence each other. Diet probably also plays a role.
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ToggleDiet or stress as possible causes
It can help those affected to avoid milk or fructose, histamine, gluten or so-called FODMAPs. FODMAP stands for Fermentable O ligosaccharides , Disaccharides, M onosaccharides and (“ a nd”) P olyols. These are fermentable carbohydrates and sugar-alcohols that some irritable bowel patients can only partially break down in the small intestine. The FODMAPs then make their way to the large intestine, where fermentation processes can occur, which in turn cause digestive problems. Tables for foods with many and few FODMAPs are available on the Internet, for example.
In some cases, stress can also aggravate the symptoms or be a possible cause. Like Lena, 31: “The symptoms started for me about four years ago when I was looking for a job. I was invited to a few job interviews, which made me very nervous, and I always waited excitedly for feedback. The constant stress hit my stomach and intestines. Food that I had previously tolerated without any problems gave me stomach pains. I used to be able to eat anything, but suddenly I was very sensitive. And unfortunately the symptoms persisted even after I found a job.”
Brain and gut influence each other
It is not without reason that people speak of a “nervous stomach”. Because it has now been proven that our brain and our stomach are linked in a certain way. The central nervous system and the intestinal nervous system (also called the “gut brain”) “communicate” with each other via the so-called gut-brain axis. Doctors suspect that the abdominal brain could be overactive in irritable bowel patients. Conversely, the intestinal nervous system could also influence the psyche.
The regular symptoms often interfere with everyday life. Those affected often avoid eating something on the go, for example. The worry of being plagued by diarrhea or abdominal cramps afterwards is too great.
Be sure to see a doctor
Anyone who suffers from chronic digestive problems should definitely see a doctor, preferably a gastroenterologist. This must first rule out infectious and chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. If a typical complex of complaints is still present, it may be irritable bowel syndrome. However, there is no test that can be used to clearly identify the disease.
A microbiome analysis can help if there is a suspicion that something is wrong with the intestinal flora , for example after gastrointestinal infections or the use of antibiotics. However, the effect of the intestinal flora on irritable bowel syndrome has not yet been sufficiently researched. Slight inflammation, damaged intestinal mucosa and disturbed intestinal movements are also suspected to be among the causes.
“All values looked great”
Lena also had a doctor check her up at the time: “After the anamnesis, a food allergy test followed, a kind of stress measurement and a microbiome analysis, together with the review of a few other factors that can lead to symptoms. The result: All values looked great and there were no intolerances, despite my constant digestive problems. That was of course gratifying on the one hand, but on the other hand I was hoping for a solution.”
Unfortunately, there is not (yet) a real miracle cure for irritable bowel syndrome, but the actual causes would first have to be determined. Those affected can use relaxation methods or – in the case of severe symptoms – cognitive behavioral therapy. There are home remedies and medications to treat the symptoms themselves . The latter should only be taken in the long term in consultation with a doctor.
“My inner attitude played a big role”
In the end, Lena also tried several home remedies and, among other things, also took inulin powder. This should serve as “feed” for the good intestinal bacteria. Today she is better again and she rarely has to struggle with the problems.
Lena: “Unfortunately, I can’t really say what exactly helped me, because I tested many different things. I believe that my inner attitude also played a major role. On the one hand, my everyday life is less stressful today than it used to be, and on the other hand I have learned not to worry too much about my digestive problems. Back then, going to a restaurant always worried me because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to digest the food. This, in turn, really put stress on my stomach. I can therefore only advise all those affected not to drive themselves crazy. Digestion is something completely natural – even if it sometimes causes problems.”