Recurrent irritable bowel syndrome

The article was professionally consulted by Doctor Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common digestive disorder that frequently recurs and greatly affects the quality of life of patients.

Irritable bowel syndrome (spastic colon disease, irritable bowel syndrome, ...) is a bowel dysfunction that does not cause ulcers in the intestines and is not accompanied by structural or structural disorders. like biochemistry. Irritable bowel syndrome is also known by other names such as spastic colon disease, irritable bowel syndrome. Although the disease is not life-threatening, it has a significant impact on the patient's life and activities.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a fairly common disease in the world. According to statistics, an average of 15-20% of the population suffers from this disease. However, the number of patients who actually have IBS is much larger, because only about 30% of cases go to the doctor. The incidence in women is 2-3 times higher than in men. The disease usually appears in young people, usually before the age of 45.
Irritable bowel syndrome IBS causes many unpleasant symptoms, typically diarrhea, constipation, bloating, abdominal cramps,... photo affect the patient's life and work. If not treated properly, the disease will recur many times, easily leading to dangerous complications such as hemorrhoids, chronic colitis or even colorectal cancer.
In addition, when sick, if abstain from many foods, the patient's body will not be fully supplemented with nutrients, leading to weakness and fatigue. In particular, patients with IBD are also susceptible to psychological effects, depression or depression because the disease is not completely treated.

Irritable bowel syndrome IBS is a benign but relapsing disease. The reason is because:
3.1 Difficulty in diagnosing the disease
Symptoms of people with irritable bowel syndrome vary widely. Even the course of the disease in a person is not fixed but changes over time. Some patients have uncomfortable symptoms but on examination, no physical damage can be detected: no weight loss, abdominal ultrasound and laboratory results are normal, colon mucosa is normal, no changes are seen. markedly changed when examining stool, ... Because it is difficult to detect, irritable colon syndrome is easy to relapse because it is not diagnosed and treated promptly and properly.
3.2 Only focus on treating symptoms
Irritable bowel syndrome keeps coming back again and again, difficult to treat definitively because patients often only focus on treating the "top" - the symptoms of the disease. Specifically, when abdominal pain, patients only use antispasmodic drugs, pain relievers; When going out, the patient chooses to take anti-diarrheal drugs; When constipated, the patient uses laxatives, ... without focusing on treating the root cause of the disease.
3.3 Unable to completely control the cause of the disease
In the case of knowing the cause of irritable bowel syndrome, it is still difficult for the patient to have a definitive treatment. The reason is because the factors that increase the risk of disease are often difficult to control or completely eliminate. Specifically:
Due to food intake: the relationship between allergies or food intolerances with irritable bowel syndrome is not clear yet, but many people have had worse symptoms when consuming some foods. Specifically, some people develop spasmodic colitis after eating foods that are difficult to digest or cause gas, such as milk, cheese, fried foods, chocolate, alcohol, cabbage, broccoli, beans, crab, etc. fish, carbonated drinks, fish, fat, eggs, ... Meanwhile, these are the foods that must be included in the diet of each person. If you do not add these foods, people will be deficient in nutrients, leading to paleness, fatigue, illness, etc. Therefore, irritable bowel syndrome is easy to recur whenever these foods are consumed. Due to central nervous factors: nervous tension, fatigue, prolonged insomnia, ... are also the causes of irritable bowel syndrome. The reason is because the stressed brain will affect the intestinal tract, causing intestinal disturbances, leading to strong contractions, killing beneficial bacteria in the intestine, causing an imbalance of microflora in the digestive tract. , leading to chronic digestive disorders. In today's social life, it is often difficult for people to avoid mental and psychological disorders. Therefore, the disease will be difficult to treat completely and easy to recur.

Due to hormones: Women are 2-3 times more likely to have IBS than men. Researchers believe that hormonal changes influence the risk of this syndrome. Many women notice signs and symptoms that get worse before, during, or after their period. Meanwhile, women's periods appear regularly every month. Therefore, irritable bowel syndrome is easy to reappear. Although it is a benign, non-fatal disease, IBS is almost impossible to cure. The treatment of the disease mainly relieves the symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, etc. to make the patient more comfortable. In addition, patients should adjust to a healthier diet, reduce the consumption of difficult-to-tolerance foods, increase exercise and avoid nervous stress to relieve symptoms of the disease.