Irritable Bowel Syndrome Specialist

What is irritable bowel syndrome?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition affecting the large intestine. Symptoms may include:

• Abdominal pain
• Cramping
• Bloating
• Intestinal gas
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Mucus in your stool

Pain, bloating, and cramping typically improve after a bowel movement. The symptoms can vary from mild or even nonexistent to severely disabling but never disappear altogether.

What causes irritable bowel syndrome?

The reason why some people develop IBS isn’t certain, but there are contributing factors:

Muscle contraction issues

The muscles in the intestinal walls contract to move food through your digestive system. If the contractions are longer and stronger than necessary, they can cause excess production of gas, as well as bloating and diarrhea. Conversely, if contractions are weaker and slower than they should be, it can cause constipation.

Nervous system problems

The nerves in your digestive system could be particularly sensitive or prone to malfunction, which could cause you to feel greater pain and discomfort when you have gas or a bowel movement. Erroneous chemical signals to the brain can also cause pain and affect the formation of stools.

Some people with IBS also show signs of having intestinal inflammation and reduced numbers of healthy gut bacteria that normally aid digestion. People with IBS usually find that their symptoms worsen because of triggers such as:

• Certain foods
• Stress
• Menstruation

Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are rarely due to food allergies, which typically affect the immune system; however, people with IBS often find that specific foods trigger an attack.

How is irritable bowel syndrome treated?

There’s no cure for IBS, but there are ways you can manage the condition to achieve a better quality of life. Dr. Perijoc possesses years of experience helping people manage their IBS. She creates a personalized care plan for you to improve your comfort and reduce IBS’ impact on your life. Interventions may include:

• Stress counseling
• Biofeedback therapy
• Relaxation exercises
• Mindfulness
• Diet and lifestyle plans
• Fiber supplements
• Laxatives
• Anti-diarrheal medications
• Other medications

For patients with severe IBS who aren’t responding to initial treatments, other medications are available that relax the colon, reduce muscle contractions, decrease any overgrowth of bacteria, and affect the secretion of fluid in the small intestine.

For comprehensive irritable bowel syndrome diagnosis and treatment, call North Texas Internal Medicine Specialists today or book an appointment online.