9. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Woodland Gastroenterology
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is explained as a group of symptoms that affect one’s digestive system due to a breakdown between the brain and the gut properly working together. Many people tend to confuse IBS with IBD, mostly because they have many of the same symptoms. These include abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, excessive gas and even mucus in the stool. Unlike IBD, IBS does not harm the digestive tract nor does it raise one’s risk for colon cancer. Some of the more common factors that may play a role when it comes to IBS are stress, mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, bacterial infections in the digestive system and food intolerances or sensitivities. Around 12% of people diagnosed with IBS in the United States, treatment may include lessening stress, avoiding food that causes symptoms, getting regular exercise and sleep, taking probiotics and eating smaller fiber-rich diets.
