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Irritable bowel syndrome is a situation in which there is inflammation of the intestinal villi, causing symptoms such as pain, abdominal bloating, excessive gas and periods of constipation or diarrhea. These symptoms usually get worse due to various causes, ranging from stressful situations to the ingestion of some foods.
Thus, although this syndrome has no cure, it can be controlled with changes in diet and decreased stress levels, for example. It is only in cases where the symptoms do not improve with some changes in daily life that the gastroenterologist can recommend the use of drugs to decrease inflammation and relieve symptoms.
Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome
You can be suspicious of an irritable bowel whenever there are constant changes in bowel function, without apparent cause. So, if you think you may have this problem, select your symptoms:
- 1. Abdominal pain or frequent cramps No Yes
- 2. Feeling of bloated belly No Yes
- 3. Excessive production of intestinal gases No Yes
- 4. Diarrhea periods, interspersed with constipation No Yes
- 5. Increase in the number of evacuations per day No Yes
- 6. Feces with gelatinous secretion No Yes
It is possible that not all symptoms are present at the same time, it is recommended to evaluate the symptoms over 3 months, for example. In addition, there may be days when symptoms worsen and others when they improve or even disappear completely.
In addition, the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome can appear without any specific cause, however, in most cases they worsen due to factors such as:
- Ingestion of bread, coffee, chocolate, alcohol, soft drinks, processed food or milk and dairy products;
- Eat a diet rich in protein or fiber;
- Eat too much food or too much fatty food;
- Periods of great stress and anxiety;
In addition, some people may also notice symptoms worsening whenever they travel, try new foods or eat very quickly. Here's how to diet for irritable bowel syndrome.
How the diagnosis is made
As this syndrome does not cause changes in the lining of the intestine, the diagnosis is usually made by observing the symptoms and excluding other gastrointestinal diseases, such as colitis or Crohn's disease, for example. For this, the doctor may indicate the performance of tests, such as stool study, colonoscopy, computed tomography or blood test.
How is the treatment
The most important thing when discovering irritable bowel syndrome is to try to identify what worsens or causes the appearance of symptoms, so that changes can be made in the day-to-day and avoid these situations.
In cases where the symptoms are very strong or do not improve with changes in lifestyle, the gastroenterologist may prescribe the use of drugs for diarrhea, laxatives, if the individual is constipated, antispasmodic drugs or antibiotics, for example. example. See more details on how to treat irritable bowel syndrome.
Check out more tips on eating irritable bowel syndrome by watching the following video: