Why Does Irritable Bowel Syndrome Happen?

Mana Kobayashi
Jul 8
2 min read

What is IBS?

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder. There are many symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea or constipation. This refers to a condition in which these symptoms occur repeatedly even though there is no particular disease or abnormality in your digestive tract. (NIDDK)

The gut wall becomes more sensitive and excitable.

Cause of IBS

The exact cause of IBS is still unknown, but several factors are believed to play a role. These includes foods, stressful, certain mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and somatic symptom disorders, bacterial infection of the digestive tract, excessive bacterial growth in the small intestine, and food intolerance. (NIDDK) Moreover, some researchers suggest that there may be a genetic factor involved in IBS. (NLM)

Type of IBS

According to the bowel movements pattern, IBS can be categorized into three types. These includes IBS-C, IBS-D, IBS-M. The first type is IBS-C, which is characterized by hard, lumpy stools and infrequent bowel movements. IBS-D, the second type, typically involves frequent episode of diarrhea, and loose, watery stools. IBS-M, the third type, is characterized by a combination of IBS-C and IBS-D, including both alternating episodes of constipation and diarrhea.

Treatment and Management

Also, there is no cure for IBS, and many people manage their symptoms through lifestyle changes, diet and stress management. Some find relief by avoiding trigger foods, increasing fiber, or taking medications. In some case, psychological treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy, yoga and hypnosis can effectively manage IBS.

My Personal Journey with IBS

Living with IBS has been long journey of trial and error. At different times, I found relief through different approaches. One of the most effective tools for me was the low FODMAP diet, which helped me identify and avoid specific foods triggers that were causing bloating and discomfort I experienced on a daily basis. Before discovering the low FODMAP approach, I had also explored traditional Chinese medicine. While I didn't use it alongside the diet, I found that herbal treatments helped ease my symptoms during another stage of my journey. Each method offered its own kind of relief, showing me that managing IBS can require flexibility and patience.

Traditional Chinese medicines or western herbal medicines and low FODMAP diet show promise for the treatment of IBS.

Cites

Ballou S, Keefer L. Psychological Interventions for Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Clin Transl Gastroenterol. 2017 Jan 19;8(1):e214. doi: 10.1038/ctg.2016.69. PMID: 28102860; PMCID: PMC5288603.
Ballou, Sarah, and Laurie Keefer. "Psychological Interventions for Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases." Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology, vol. 8, no. 1, 2017, p. e214. https://doi.org/10.1038/ctg.2016.69.
Saito YA, Talley NJ. Genetics of irritable bowel syndrome. Am J Gastroenterol. 2008 Aug;103(8):2100-4; quiz 2105. doi: 10.1111/j.1572-0241.2008.02048.x. Epub 2008 Jul 5. PMID: 18684190; PMCID: PMC3935287.

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