IBS Awareness Month

What is IBS?

April is IBS Awareness month, IBS stands for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

I’m writing this blog to raise awareness of IBS. It’s considered a chronic long-term condition, however, it doesn’t cause physical damage to the abdomen or bowel but can cause symptoms varying from mild to severe in the individual.

Symptoms may include;

·       Bloating & distension

·       Abdominal pain

·       Constipation or diarrhea or a mixture of both

·       Fatigue

·       Gas/wind/farting

These symptoms can go away and appear at any time and they can go from being mild to severe. Your bowel movements may change from constipation to diarrhea or vice versa or you may start experiencing both.

An individual may go through periods of time where they feel good with barely any symptoms, to times when their symptoms are severe. They may even develop new symptoms.

What are the causes of IBS?

Presently, no one knows what really causes IBS. The following have been identified as contributing to the condition.

These include.

·       Stress

·       Gut sensitivity

·       Leaky gut

·       Altered gut mobility.

·       Infections

·       Bacteria in the gut

Individuals with IBS can only manage their symptoms, there is no cure at this time.

If you are interested in reading more about IBS including the ‘red flags’ to look out for, and how to get a diagnosis or treatments, I recommend visiting the Monash University website.

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Click the link below to read more about IBS.