Abdominal pain should not be ignored

BANGALORE: Gastroenterologist B S Sathyaprakash says abdominal pain should not be ignored and outlines precautions to be adopted and also indicates the line of treatment.
What is it?
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a treatable medical condition characterized by abdominal discomfort or pain. It is not life-threatening but symptoms overlap with those of intestinal diseases like colitis
Symptoms:
* Abdominal pain, often relieved by defecation or flatulence
* Diarrhoea or constipation
* Bloating and swelling of abdomen
* Rumbling noises and excessive flatulence
* Constant need to rush to toilet
* Right-sided abdominal pain
* Mucus in stool
* Minor symptoms: Indigestion, belching, nausea, headache, backache, frequent urination, sexual dysfunction, fatigue, anxiety, depression
Causes:
* Food poisoning
* Repeated/prolonged use of antibiotics
* Stress
Caution:
* Some patients cannot digest dairy products and certain food grains
* Alcohol, coffee, oily food and spices can aggravate symptoms
* Symptoms worsen with stress, lack of sleep, and during menstrual period
Treatment:
* Most patients don't require restrictive diets or too many medicines
* Treatment consists of a simple diet and lifestyle adjustments, with medication for 6-12 weeks
* Fibre supplements help soften stools in constipation cases
Precautions:
* Those who develop abdominal pain and urge to visit toilet after coffee or oily/spicy foods should avoid or reduce intake of these substances
* Pay attention to the effects of stress and lifestyle
* Eat and sleep on time
* Practice yoga and meditation
* Discuss underlying reasons for anxiety
Facts:
* Globally, 5-20% of people have IBS
* Young adults between 20 and 40 years of age are more at risk
* Men are at higher risk than women
* Surgical treatment is not necessary.IBS patients are often worse off after surgery than those without the disease
(As told to Nirmala M Nagaraj)