Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The exact cause of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is unknown,but most expertsthink that it's related to problems with digestion and increased sensitivity of the gut.

Many causes have been suggested including inflammation, infections and certain diets but nonehave been proven to directly lead to IBS.

Problems with digestion

Yourbodyusually moves food through your digestive system bysqueezing and relaxing the muscles of the intestinesin a rhythmic way.

However, in IBS it'sthought that this processis altered,resulting infood moving throughyour digestive system either too quickly or too slowly.

If foodmoves through your digestive systemtoo quickly it causes Traveller's diarrhoea , becauseyour digestive system does not have enough time to absorb water from the food.

If food moves through your digestive systemtoo slowly it causes constipation ,as too much water is absorbed, making yourstools hard and difficult to pass.

It may bethatfood does notpass through the digestive systems of people with IBS properly because the signals that travel back and forth from the brain to the gut are disrupted in some way.

It has also been suggested that problems such as bile acid malabsorption (where bile produced by the liver builds up in the digestive system) may be responsible for some cases of IBS.

Increased gut sensitivity

Many sensations in the bodycome from your digestive system. For example, nerves in your digestive system relay signals to your brain to let you know if you are hungry or full, or if you need to go to the toilet.

Some experts thinkthatpeople with IBS may be oversensitive to the digestive nerve signals. This means mild indigestion that is barely noticeable in most people becomes distressing abdominal (stomach) pain in those with IBS.

Psychological factors

There isalso some evidence to suggest that psychological factors play an important role in IBS.

However, this does not mean that IBS is "all in the mind", becausesymptoms are very real. Intense emotional states such as stress and anxiety can trigger chemical changes that interfere with the normal workings of the digestive system.

This does not just happen in people with IBS. Many people whohave never hadIBS before can have a sudden change in bowel habits when faced with a stressful situation, such as an important exam or job interview.

Some people with IBS have experienced a traumatic event, usually during their childhood, such as abuse, neglect, a serious childhood illness or bereavement.

It is possible that these types of difficult experiences in your past maymake you more sensitive to stress and the symptoms of pain and discomfort.

IBS triggers

Certain foods and drinks can trigger the symptoms ofIBS . Triggers vary from person to person, but common ones include:

• alcohol
• fizzy drinks
• chocolate
• drinks that contain caffeine such as tea, coffee or cola
• processed snacks such as crisps and biscuits
• fatty or friedfood

Keeping a food diary may be a useful way of identifying possible triggers in your diet.

Stress is another common trigger of IBS symptoms. Therefore, finding ways tomanagestressful situations is an important part of treating the condition.

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