What is IBS?
Irritable Bowel Syndrome, also known as IBS, is a common digestive condition, which causes symptoms such as stomach cramps, bloating, trapped wind, burping, diarrhoea, and constipation.
Symptoms tend to come and go, so people may have IBS flare-ups, and then not experience any symptoms for a while.
IBS cannot be cured, but there are things that can be done to make the symptoms easier, such as diet changes and medicines.
What are the Symptoms of IBS?
There are a variety of symptoms that people with IBS may experience, but some of the main symptoms include:
- Stomach pain or cramps, which are usually worse after eating, and may get better after having a poo
- Bloating and discomfort
- Diarrhoea and fast bowel movements
- Constipation
- Excessive wind (flatulence)
- Feeling sick (nausea)
- Heartburn and acid reflux
IBS can also impact someone’s day-to-day life, so they may experience stress and low mood, as a result of the symptoms.
What causes IBS?
The exact cause of IBS is actually unknown! However, some theories include food passing through the gut too quickly/slowly, oversensitive nerves in the gut, stress and a family history of IBS.
Diagnosing IBS can be difficult, as there are no specific tests, but your doctor may carry out some blood tests and stool samples to rule out other conditions, such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which is a term for the conditions: Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s disease.
The symptoms of IBS can be similar to coeliac disease, too, so it’s important to rule out any allergies, which may be causing the symptoms.
Managing IBS Symptoms:
Managing the symptoms of IBS can include making changes to your lifestyle, such as:
- Changing your diet, or following a healthy balanced diet
- Staying hydrated
- Exercising regularly
- Managing your stress levels
Foods to avoid with IBS:
Working out which foods can trigger your IBS is a good place to start, however, this is different for everyone. The best way to do this is to cut out foods one item at a time, and add them back in one at a time, so you can identify what specifically is causing your symptoms.
There are foods that may impact your symptoms, so you may want to reduce your intake of these, for example:
Caffeine
Caffeine can affect symptoms, so it may be a good idea to reduce the amount of caffeine you consume. Reduce the amount of tea and coffee, or switch to decaffeinated tea and coffee. It’s also a good idea to limit fizzy drinks, such as cola, as these can include caffeine. Similarly, energy drinks should be avoided.
Processed foods
Processed foods contain can be difficult for your body to digest, so it’s recommended to avoid ready meals, potato and pasta salads, over chips and part-baked bread. These foods can cause symptoms, such as bloating, wind, cramps, and diarrhoea.
Alcohol
Alcohol can make symptoms worse, too. It’s advised that you should drink no more than 14 units per week, and spread these out over three or more days, with regular alcohol-free days.
Fatty Foods
Foods high in fat should be limited for a healthy, balanced diet, but they have also been known to impact IBS symptoms, including diarrhoea. These foods include:
- Fried foods
- Fast food
- Pastries
- Crisps
- Cakes
Sweeteners
Sweeteners can affect IBS symptoms, and can cause diarrhoea. These can be found in sugar-free drinks, sweets, chewing gum, mints, and so on.
There are some other foods which are hard to digest, such as cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, so you may want to avoid those, if they trigger your symptoms.
IBS Diet to Ease Symptoms:
Following a healthy and balanced diet is important for reducing the symptoms. Other tips include:
- Eating regular meals including breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Avoid missing meals or eating late at night.
- Try to eat slowly, ensuring that you chew your flood properly.
- Drink enough fluids as it can help with constipation, and replace any fluids lost from diarrhoea. A recommended daily intake of fluids is around 2-2.5 litres per day.
- Alter the amount of fibre in your diet, depending on your symptoms.
- Lowering the amount of fibre in your diet can help those with diarrhoea, whereas, a higher fibre diet can help with constipation.
- Eating small but regular meals can help those suffering from bloating, cramps, and fast bowel movements.
- Increasing the amount of oats you eat can also help with digestion.
- Increase the amount of probiotics, which is good bacteria found in some foods (yoghurt) or supplements. The good bacteria can restore natural balance in your gut.
IBS Medication:
There are some medications, which are approved for people with IBS. This includes over-the-counter products, and prescription items which can be approved by your GP.
Buscopan
Buscopan (known as hyoscine butylbromide) helps to relive the pain of stomach cramps, y relaxing the gut.
Colpermin
Colpermin capsules contain peppermint oil, and can be used to treat the symptoms of IBS, such as cramps and spasms. It relieves pain and allows pockets of gas, which can help with bloating.
Antidiarrhoeal medicines
Antidiarrhoeal medicines include Imodium (loperamide hyrochloride), which help reduce diarrhoea by slowing down an overactive bowel.