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(USGovernment-News.Com, August 24, 2012 ) San Francisco, CA -- Irritable bowel syndrome (also known as IBS) affects anywhere from 25 million to 45 million in the USA alone. The exact causes aren’t known, and for those who are suffering from the disease there may be a major impact on their life (including their work life, their emotional life, and their personal life). Additionally, many people don’t even know what is wrong with them partially because of the reluctance to discuss embarrassing symptoms with their doctors. There is apparently a stigma attached to even mentioning the word ‘bowel’ much less saying that you might have a problem with yours.
There is now a public service announcement (PSA) that features a real IBS sufferer known as Abby. This is the first PSA dedicated to PSA in nearly 10 years and the purpose it serves is twofold; the first purpose is to increase awareness of the disease, and the second is to encourage sufferers to work with their doctors or other medical professionals. In addition to Abby, the PSA also features Dr. Lauren B. Gerson, who is an associate professor of medicine at the Stanford School of Medicine. Gerson discusses the importance of consulting your care provider first to determine if you have IBS and secondly the treatment options that are available.
Abby’s IBS started at age 22, when she began to suffer from constipation, bloating, and abdominal pain on a regular basis. She originally believed that her symptoms were the result of stress since she was planning a wedding and had just moved to a new city. However, the symptoms lasted long after her wedding day was over, and she had limited success trying to manage the symptoms with lifestyle changes. Eventually, Abby went to her doctor and told him about her symptoms. At that time, she said she was so bloated it felt like there was a balloon in her stomach. She was then diagnosed with IBS-C (IBS with constipation), and with the help of her doctor learned how to manage her symptoms.
Abby and her doctor worked together to come up with a treatment plan. Her reason for participating in the PSA was “I want to let other IBS sufferers know that they aren’t the only one who has this problem. I want to let them know that they too can talk to their doctors and get help to manage their symptoms.”
One in seven people suffers from IBS, and approximately three-fourths of those with symptoms of IBS are not receiving the medical care and treatment they need. In addition to IBS-C, there are two other types of IBS. The first is IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D) and the second is IBS with mixed diarrhea and constipation (IBS-M). IBS-D and IBS-M also have the added complication of gas being released.
Common symptoms of all three types of IBS include abdominal pain, bloating, and changes in bowel habits (diarrhea or constipation). There are no specific tests for IBS, but people who feel they may suffer from it are encouraged to consult their healthcare provider. Normally the diagnosis will include a careful description of symptoms and a physical examination. After those steps are completed, the healthcare provider can develop a plan of treatment.
Dr. Gerson is careful to note that people experience IBS differently. Some patients feel like they have knots in their stomach while others feel pain in their abdomen.
Hydrogen/Methane breath tests for Fructose, Lactose and Sorbitol malabsorption, and Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) are available at BreathTest.com.au (http://www.breathtest.com.au/).
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