Ongoing sensitivity in the large intestine causes symptoms of abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation. This sensitivity is called Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Sometimes these symptoms can be severe enough to interfere with a person’s ability to live their life of the fullest. Symptoms can be triggered by infection of the stomach or intestines, overgrowth of bacteria in the intestines, stress, hormones (such as around menstrual periods, or menopause), or food allergies.
Control of intestinal sensitivity involves a healthy lifestyle. Exercise, control stress, sleep consistently, eat a healthy diet (pay attention to anything that makes your IBS symptoms worse), and drink plenty of water. There are prescription and OTC medications which may be helpful. Medical evaluation may be helpful to uncover other treatable causes of bowel sensitivity, including diabetes, thyroid disease, anemia, and others.
While it may cause physical and emotional distress, IBS does NOT cause damage to the bowel. IBS does NOT lead to cancer. IBS does not cause blood in the stools, abdominal pain at night, abdominal pain that gets worse over time, or weight loss. If you have any of these symptoms, you need to see your healthcare provider.