Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a diagnosis given when the doctor can’t determine the cause of a patient’s diarrhea and/or constipation and abdominal discomfort/pain. It implies that the problem isn’t all that severe and is often considered to be mostly in the patient’s head.
Yet people who suffer from IBS know all too well that IBS can not only be disruptive to their life, but also extremely debilitating. And being given antidepressants or acid blocking medications, as is often done, does little to address the cause of their suffering.
The facts about IBS are surprising. At least 35 million people in the United Stated suffer from it. It is a primary cause of missing work, second only to the common cold. It is one of the top 10 reasons that people visit the doctor, and it is the primary reason people see a gastroenterologist. In fact, it is one the most common health problems in our country.
Despite all of this, most doctors know very little about IBS. IBS is rarely talked about, and is seldom seriously addressed. The only time IBS is brought up is either by a comedian or a commercial about a new drug that at best temporarily treats a symptom and at worst comes with a host of bad side-effects.
“This current state of care for IBS may be because it doesn’t kill you, but it certainly isn’t insignificant.” said Dr. Stephen Wangen, co-founder of the IBS Treatment Center (www.IBSTreatmentCenter.com). “For too many people who suffer from IBS it neither funny nor a mere inconvenience.”
As Wangen notes, sufferers can’t spend long periods in the car, and they always have to know where the nearest bathroom is.
“But that is not the worst of it,” Wangen said. “Thousands of people end up in the emergency room. The pain can be excruciating and debilitating.”
Such patients are usually screened for appendicitis, gallbladder disease, cancer, ulcerative colitis, and some other conditions, but often nothing is found, Wangen added.
Fortunately research and clinical experience have demonstrated that there are many testable, treatable conditions that can cause these symptoms. The non-profit Innate Health Foundation has collected an array of published research on the causes of IBS and published them on the website: www.InnateHealthFounation.org/5_c.htm.
The wide array of conditions that must be considered and tests that must be done is beyond the scope of most care providers. Current insurance practices discourage doctors from running tests outside the norm.
But, Wangen reports, it is becoming much more common for patient’s to get real solutions to their IBS.
“With the right testing and customized treatment we expect the vast majority of IBS patients to be able to dramatically reduce or eliminate their symptoms, without costly ‘rest-of-your-life’ medications,” he said.
