Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder of the intestines affecting perhaps 20% of the adult population that leads to pain, gassiness, bloating, and changes in bowel habits. Symptoms include constipation, diarrhea, or a painful but unsuccessful urge to move the bowels. Through the years, IBS has been called by many names - colitis, mucous colitis, spastic colon, spastic bowel, and functional bowel disease. Most of these terms are inaccurate. Colitis, for instance, means inflammation of the large intestine (colon). IBS, however, does not cause inflammation and should not be confused with another disorder, ulcerative colitis.

IBS causes a great deal of discomfort and distress, but it does not cause permanent harm to the intestines and does not lead to intestinal bleeding of the bowel, serious organic diseases or to cancer. No link has been established between IBS and inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.

Often IBS is just a mild annoyance, but for some people it can be disabling. They may be unable to go to social events, to go to work, or to travel even short distances. Most people with IBS, however, are able to control their symptoms through medications prescribed by their physicians, diet, and stress management.

The colon, which is about 6 feet long, connects the small intestine with the rectum and anus. The major function of the colon is to absorb water and salts from digestive products that enter from the small intestine. Two quarts of liquid matter enter the colon from the small intestine each day. This material may remain there for several days until most of the fluid and salts are absorbed into the body. The stool then passes through the colon by a pattern of movements to the left side of the colon, where it is stored until a bowel movement occurs. Movements of the colon propel the contents slowly back and forth but mainly toward the rectum. A few times each day strong muscle contractions move down the colon pushing fecal material ahead of them. Some of these strong contractions result in a bowel movement.

Ordinary events such as eating and distention from gas or other material in the colon can cause the colon to overreact in a person with IBS, or certain medicines and foods may trigger spasms. Sometimes the spasm delays the passage of stool, leading to constipation. Chocolate, milk products and large amounts of alcohol are frequent offenders. Caffeine causes loose stools in many people, but it is more likely to affect those with IBS. Researchers also have found that women with IBS may have more symptoms during their menstrual periods, suggesting that reproductive hormones may exacerbate the problem. People with IBS sometimes pass mucus with their bowel movements.

Bleeding, fever, weight loss, and persistent severe pain are not symptoms of IBS but may indicate other problems.

Eating causes contractions of the colon and normally this response may cause an urge to have a bowel movement within 30 to 60 minutes after a meal. In people with IBS, the urge may come sooner and be accompanied by cramps and diarrhea. The strength of the response is often related to the number of calories consumed, particularly the amount of fat in a meal. Fat in any form (animal or vegetable) is a strong stimulus of colonic contractions.

Treatment
Large meals can cause cramping and diarrhea in people with IBS. Symptoms may be eased if you eat smaller meals more often or just eat smaller portions. This should help, especially if your meals are low in fat and high in carbohydrates such as pasta, rice, whole-grain breads and cereals, fruits, and vegetables.

For many people, eating a proper diet lessens IBS symptoms. Before changing your diet, it is a good idea to keep a journal noting which foods seem to cause distress. Dietary fiber may lessen IBS symptoms in many cases. High-fiber diets may cause gas and bloating, but within a few weeks these symptoms often go away as the body adjusts to the diet: IBS can be treated in most cases simply by increasing the intake of dietary fiber and eliminating food allergies.

Stress also stimulates colonic spasm in people with IBS. Stress reduction (relaxation) training or counseling and support help relieve IBS symptoms in some people.

Make sure your hydrochloric acid production is sufficient. People with spastic colon are often fiber-intolerant and have a tendency to like fats because they produce a feeling of well being. They often respond well, even dramatically so, to a multiple digestive enzyme formula.

Other herbs and products used with varying success include: fennel, dandelion, skullcap, licorice, peppermint, valerian, slippery elm, cranberry, glutamine, MSM, magnesium, and gamma-oryzanol.

See your doctor if a course of antibiotics is desired. Just remember, the more we use antibiotics, the more resistant the bugs become. If you chose this route, make sure to repopulate your colon with friendly bacteria afterwards.