What you need to know about irritable bowel syndrome

It’s been estimated that six million Canadians suffer from this painful (and often inconvenient) digestive ailment. Even though there’s no cure, IBS is definitely treatable — often with just diet and exercise. Here's what you need to know about IBS, including some healthy treatment options.

The intestinal distress associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is responsible for more than 300,000 doctor visits annually. Only the common cold results in more missed days of work. While no one is exactly sure what causes this mysterious, misery-making complaint, doctors admit that it is definitely not "all in your head."

• They also will tell you it’s not a life-threatening condition and won't develop into a more serious illness like inflammatory bowel disease or colon cancer.
• The alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation associated with IBS typically develop in the late teens or early 20s, primarily in women. Many people are never diagnosed, however, because medical tests routinely show nothing out of the ordinary.

To better comprehend IBS, it helps to understand how it compares to normal digestion.

• Usually, when partially digested food leaves your stomach, it is moved through your intestines by the gentle, wavelike contraction and relaxation of the intestinal wall muscles — a process known as peristalsis.
• When you have IBS, the muscles in your colon (which is part of your large intestine) go into spasm, contracting either too quickly and forcefully (causing diarrhea) or too slowly and weakly (resulting in constipation).

There’s plenty of speculation about why the colon misfires.

• Some suggest that hormonal problems play a role (women with IBS seem to have more symptoms on premenstrual days) or that a chemical imbalance in the brain may be at fault.
• Specific foods seem to trigger IBS flare-ups in some people, as does the inability to digest lactose.
• Overuse of antibiotics could be another cause, as can a bacterial, viral or parasitic infection.
• People with IBS may have extrasensitive pain sensors in their guts. These overactive nerves could cause the muscle spasms underlying this ailment.
• Finally, stress appears to be a key factor. Even a healthy person experiencing the natural "fight or flight" response that occurs in a very stressful situation will have spasms of the intestines and sometimes an involuntary emptying of the bowels. But for some reason, people susceptible to IBS feel this intestinal response to stress to an excessive degree.

• Identify possible trigger foods and cut back or eliminate them from your diet.
• If you suffer from constipation, boost soluble fibre and exercise more.
• Consider medication to treat specific symptoms.
• Practice some relaxation techniques to ease stress.

• Seek counselling. If you're feeling down because IBS has taken such a toll on your life, you may want to consider professional advice from a psychotherapist or behavioural counsellor.
• Try acupuncture. In some cases this complementary therapy can offer significant relief from chronic pain of any type, possibly because it encourages the brain to release endorphins and mono­amines, chemicals that block pain signals.
• Find out whether you're lactose intolerant. Drink two glasses of nonfat milk on an empty stomach. If you experience symptoms (gas, bloating, diarrhea) within four hours, repeat the test with lactase-treated milk, such as Lactaid. If, after four hours, you are symptom-free, you may very well be lactose intolerant.

• For detailed information about IBS and its latest treatments contact the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada (www.ccfc.ca).
• The Acupuncture Foundation of Canada (www.afcinstitute.com) has a list of certified Canadian acupuncture practitioners on its website.

IBS can be incredibly painful, but finding relief may be easier than your think! Keep this guide in mind and try making healthy changes to reduce your symptoms. For more information and treatment options, be sure to talk to your doctor.