(no subject)
So! thank you for everyone who came to last night's talk on Irritable Bowel Sydnrome (IBS). i had a great time, and I hope you all did too!
One thing that I noticed from discussions last night, is that while many people have been told they have IBS, very few people know what IBS is.
The official symptoms required for IBS to be diagnosed are listed in the Rome II: The Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, a medical text that details the diagnostic criteria for a range of digestive problems. For IBS, they are:
At least 12 weeks (not necessarily at once), out of the last 12 months, of abdominal discomfort or pain which has two out of three features:
1) The pain or discomfort is relieved with defecation; and/or
2) The onset of the pain or discomfort is associated with a change in the frequency of bowel motions; and/or
3) The onset is associated with a change in form (appearance) of stool.
In addition, there are a range of symptoms that usually go along with these three:
• Abnormal stool frequency (greater than 3 bowel movements a day or less than 3 bowel movements a week);
• Abnormal stool form (lumpy/hard or loose and watery stool);
• Abnormal stool passage (straining, feelings of urgency, or feeling of incomplete evacuation);
• Passage of mucus;
• Bloating or feeling of abdominal distension.
• Excessive wind.
Most people also notice that their symptoms get worse when they're under stress, as well, and there are often specific foods that will trigger IBS - although the foods that will do this tend to vary from person to person!
We also chatted about natural ways of dealing with IBS. Everyone agreed that orthodox medicine hadn't managed to do much for the problems they were having, so we discussed some of the other alternatives, including the simple things, like making sure you eat small meals regularly, and, most importantly, take time out to eat.
It always amazes me the number of people with digestive problems who simply don't give their stomach a chance to work properly. Eating while you're working, or reading, or watching tv means your attention is split, and many of the signals your body uses to start the digestive processes simply aren't triggered. If you have any kind of problems with your stomach or digestion, making sure you're not doing anything else while you're eating can make a big difference.
As well, we touched on the many herbs that can make a difference for IBS, both the ones you can take yourself, and the ones that I use with patients - and how to know which ones would be useful for you. As always, I recommend discussing your health with someone with experience in the condition, as the herbs that will work for one person aren't necessarily effective for others, and identifying the foods that will trigger IBS symptoms for each person takes experience and skill.
So, were you one of the people at last night's discussion? What did you think? Are you one of the 1-in-5 people with IBS, or do you know someone with it? What questions do you have?
One thing that I noticed from discussions last night, is that while many people have been told they have IBS, very few people know what IBS is.
The official symptoms required for IBS to be diagnosed are listed in the Rome II: The Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, a medical text that details the diagnostic criteria for a range of digestive problems. For IBS, they are:
At least 12 weeks (not necessarily at once), out of the last 12 months, of abdominal discomfort or pain which has two out of three features:
1) The pain or discomfort is relieved with defecation; and/or
2) The onset of the pain or discomfort is associated with a change in the frequency of bowel motions; and/or
3) The onset is associated with a change in form (appearance) of stool.
In addition, there are a range of symptoms that usually go along with these three:
• Abnormal stool frequency (greater than 3 bowel movements a day or less than 3 bowel movements a week);
• Abnormal stool form (lumpy/hard or loose and watery stool);
• Abnormal stool passage (straining, feelings of urgency, or feeling of incomplete evacuation);
• Passage of mucus;
• Bloating or feeling of abdominal distension.
• Excessive wind.
Most people also notice that their symptoms get worse when they're under stress, as well, and there are often specific foods that will trigger IBS - although the foods that will do this tend to vary from person to person!
We also chatted about natural ways of dealing with IBS. Everyone agreed that orthodox medicine hadn't managed to do much for the problems they were having, so we discussed some of the other alternatives, including the simple things, like making sure you eat small meals regularly, and, most importantly, take time out to eat.
It always amazes me the number of people with digestive problems who simply don't give their stomach a chance to work properly. Eating while you're working, or reading, or watching tv means your attention is split, and many of the signals your body uses to start the digestive processes simply aren't triggered. If you have any kind of problems with your stomach or digestion, making sure you're not doing anything else while you're eating can make a big difference.
As well, we touched on the many herbs that can make a difference for IBS, both the ones you can take yourself, and the ones that I use with patients - and how to know which ones would be useful for you. As always, I recommend discussing your health with someone with experience in the condition, as the herbs that will work for one person aren't necessarily effective for others, and identifying the foods that will trigger IBS symptoms for each person takes experience and skill.
So, were you one of the people at last night's discussion? What did you think? Are you one of the 1-in-5 people with IBS, or do you know someone with it? What questions do you have?