IBS is no BS

Millions of people are diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) every year making it one of the most common gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. Despite its prevalence, there remain many misconceptions about IBS among both patients and doctors. Here we review some basic concepts in hopes of demystifying this nebulous syndrome. What is IBS? Irritable bowel syndrome is defined by a constellation of symptoms including abdominal pain and altered bowel habits (diarrhea or constipation) that persist for a prolonged period of time. There is no blood test, radiology study or endoscopic procedure that can definitively diagnose IBS. These studies are essentially normal, and thus IBS is called a functional GI disorder. The term “functional” is not intuitive and deserves some explanation. Consider this analogy; your GI tract is like your car’s engine. When the engine is running the pistons are constantly moving, axels are rotating, fluids are flowing, heat is being generated, etc. In order to appreciate the complexities of the engine, you would need to watch it run for some time. A photograph, capturing a single moment in time, would not convey the functions of the engine. Similarly, if the engine was sputtering it would be impossible to diagnose the problem by taking a snapshot. The problem is with the “function” of the engine not its “structure”. Your GI tract is like a car engine. It is constantly moving, expanding and contracting, generating fluids and gasses, interac...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Tags: Conditions GI Source Type: blogs