Irritable bowel syndrome What we need to know

27.12.2023

Irritable bowel syndrome is a condition that affects the gastrointestinal tract. The disease is characterized by a chronic relapsing course. The intensity of the symptoms is different and depends on the diet, lifestyle, degree of stress and others.

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The syndrome does not cause structural changes or the risk of cancerous degeneration in the intestinal tissue.

Symptoms

Severe abdominal pain, bloating or cramping
Change in intestinal peristalsis (movement).
Change in the frequency of bowel movements

Symptoms such as the feeling of incomplete bowel emptying and fullness, the presence of gas and mucus in fecal masses are also common.

The disease is characterized by a long, chronic course. The symptoms of the disease are not specific and it is necessary to exclude various intestinal pathologies.

When to see a doctor?

If you meet at least a few of the listed symptoms, it is necessary to visit a specialist and schedule research:

weight loss
Nocturnal diarrhea
Bleeding from the rectum
Iron deficiency anemia
Sudden vomiting
Abdominal pain not relieved by bowel movements

When diagnosing, it is important to consider several factors:

The onset of the disease after the age of 50
weight loss
Bleeding from the rectum
Fever
Nausea and repeated vomiting
Abdominal pain unrelated to bowel movements
Persistent diarrhea
Iron deficiency anemia

Causes of the disease

One specific cause of irritable bowel syndrome has not been identified. There are factors that contribute to its development:

Intestinal muscle spasm is the result of long-term contraction of the muscular layer of the intestinal wall. It is characterized by the presence of dense, dried fecal masses.
Processes in the autonomic nervous system - which provides innervation of internal organs, including the gastrointestinal tract. Vegetoneurotic conditions can often be accompanied by diarrhea, diarrhea or other symptomatic manifestations.
Severe infectious processes - irritable bowel syndrome often develops after intestinal inflammatory processes of bacterial or viral origin. The syndrome is also often associated with an overgrowth of intestinal microflora.
Stress - stressful situations, especially at an early age, contribute to the emergence of irritable bowel syndrome. In addition, stress worsens existing symptoms.
Changes in the intestinal microflora - studies have shown that the intestinal microflora (bacteria, viruses, fungi) of patients with irritable bowel syndrome differs from the microflora of a healthy person.
Food - food allergies and intolerance to this or that ptoduct, as a result of this, chronic inflammatory and immune reactions in the intestine may become the cause of the development of irritable bowel syndrome.

Irritable bowel syndrome is more common in young females, in those with depressive-anxiety disorders, and in those with a family history.

Complications

Chronic diarrhea or constipation is often the cause of hemorrhoids.

In addition, severe irritable bowel syndrome worsens self-esteem and quality of life.

The presence of constant discomfort and gastrointestinal symptoms affects the patient's mood. Deterioration of mood in turn worsens symptoms.

Diagnosis

There are no accurate diagnostic tests for irritable bowel syndrome. However, since the symptoms are similar to many intestinal diseases (celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, etc.), instrumental and laboratory studies are necessary for differential diagnostics.

After excluding other pathologies, the attending physician is guided by one of the following two diagnostic panels:

Rome criteria - includes abdominal pain and discomfort in the abdomen at least once a week for the past three months. Also, at least two of the listed symptoms must be met, namely: pain and discomfort associated with defecation, change in the frequency of defecation and change in the consistency of fecal masses.
From the point of view of treatment, irritable bowel syndrome is divided into 4 types according to symptoms: constipation, diarrhea, mixed and unclear forms.

Fecal calprotectin can be used as a screening test to distinguish inflammatory bowel disease (organic damage) from irritable bowel syndrome (functional disorder)

Calprotectin (fecal)