The commonly known as "glass belly" is often heard in the market. In fact, it means that you will suffer from stomachache and diarrhea after eating, and your stomach is very sensitive. When this happens, you may suffer from "irritable bowel syndrome". According to past medical statistics, about 10-20% of Hong Kong suffer from this disease, and there are more women. What is the cause of "irritable bowel syndrome" and whether it will cause more serious problems? Gastrointestinal and liver specialist - Dr. Xue Liwei shares more information.
Q: What is "Irritable Bowel Syndrome"?
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal problem caused by uncoordinated intestinal peristalsis.
Q: Why is someone with "Irritable Bowel Syndrome" called a "glass belly"?
There are many different aliases for irritable bowel syndrome, including sensitive bowel syndrome. Glass belly is also a common name, mainly used to describe the intestines are very fragile, as long as there are some micro-external conditions influence, it is easy to develop symptoms.
Q: What is the main cause of "glass belly"? What are the symptoms?
The medical community is currently inconclusive on the cause of irritable bowel syndrome, but after years of research, the following theories tend to be the following:
． Gut–brain axis
． Gut microbiota dysbiosis
． Neuroendocrine disorders
． Visceral hypersensitivity
For now, it seems that there is no single theory that can fully explain the cause of IBS, and the medical community tends to believe that the main cause should be produced by several factors that interact with each other.
The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are quite broad, and the main symptoms include 3 categories:
． Abdominal pain or discomfort, although the degree of discomfort varies from person to person;
． It may be accompanied by changes in bowel habits at the same time, including the frequency of bowel movements changing from frequent to frequent, or from frequent to frequent bowel movements;
． Changes in the appearance and shape of feces, such as the change of feces from soft and watery stools to granular or hard feces that are difficult to pass.
Q: There are reports that living environment, stress, and sleep quality may cause "glass belly" or affect/stimulate the condition. Is this correct? Is "glass belly" largely related to emotional illness?
There is indeed a great relationship between the gastrointestinal and digestive system and brain emotions, and many people have diarrhea when they are nervous, or constipation when they do not rest enough. The two principles are actually almost the same. Many large studies have shown that the proportion of people with irritable bowel syndrome who have depression or anxiety is three times higher than the general public, which effectively supports the great link between "glass belly" and mood disorders.
Q: Who is more likely to suffer from "glass belly"? Why are women more likely to have "glass belly"? What is the approximate proportion of men and women who are "recruited"?
In fact, people of any age may also suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. The proportion of young and female patients is higher, with a male-to-female ratio of about 1:1.6. Some patients have already suffered from this disease when they were in middle school. Statistics show that the proportion of students experiencing related symptoms is as high as 20%.
Women are more likely to suffer from constipation-induced irritable bowel syndrome. More and more studies have found that female sex hormones such as estrogen and copper luteum may be the reason why they suffer from irritable bowel syndrome.
Q: How are the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome different from gastroenteritis, hemorrhoids, or even colorectal cancer? How to tell the difference?
Although the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and many gastrointestinal diseases are similar and even overlap in symptoms, some patients can distinguish three differences from the symptoms alone:
Gastroenteritis: Gastroenteritis is usually a one-time or sporadic event. Patients often experience vomiting, but vomiting is not one of the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Hemorrhoids: It is easier to distinguish hemorrhoids from irritable bowel syndrome. Common symptoms of hemorrhoids include anal bleeding, anal pain or itching. These are not symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Colorectal cancer: Colorectal cancer is one of the most important conditions to rule out. The early stages of colorectal cancer are very similar to the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Irritable bowel syndrome usually develops at a younger age. It should be noted that after the age of 40, it is rare to have an initial onset of irritable bowel syndrome. Therefore, if you are over 40 and have persistent diarrhea, you should consider a physical examination to rule out the possibility of colorectal cancer.
Q: Can stomach pain, gastroenteritis, stomach cramps, etc. cause "irritable bowel syndrome"?
Stomach pain or stomach cramps will not cause irritable bowel syndrome, but some patients will have symptoms similar to irritable bowel syndrome after gastroenteritis, and the symptoms can sometimes last for several months or even more than a year.
Q: How is one diagnosed with "irritable bowel syndrome"? Are there any tests required?
There is no absolute diagnostic method for irritable bowel syndrome. Doctors generally assess whether the patient suffers from irritable bowel syndrome through questioning and physical examination, while ruling out the possibility of other gastrointestinal diseases. When necessary, doctors will recommend blood tests and colonoscopy. The more commonly used criteria are the Rome criteria:
Main conditions:
Symptoms started at least 6 months ago, and there has been recurrent abdominal pain on average at least 1 day per week in the past 3 months, accompanied by at least two of the following combined symptoms.
Complicated symptoms:
1. Abdominal pain is related to defecation.
2. There is a change in defecation frequency, such as from more than 3 defecation times a day to less than 3 defecation times a week.
3. There is a change in the appearance and shape of feces, such as the change of feces from soft and watery stools to granular or hard feces that are difficult to pass.
If two or more of the "major conditions" + "complicated symptoms" are met, you can be diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome.
Q: Is there a classification for the stool pattern of "Irritable Bowel Syndrome"?
Stool patterns can be divided into three main categories:
． Constipation type
． recurrent diarrhea type
． Constipation and diarrhea combined type
Q: How to treat "irritable bowel syndrome"? Will the doctor prescribe any medication to the patient? Does the patient need to quit smoking?
There is currently no drug cure for irritable bowel syndrome. If it is not very severe, patients can first control their irritable bowel syndrome by adjusting their eating habits. Most patients have a personal "food intolerance list" to avoid foods that are likely to cause disease.
These foods tend to remain in the intestines and ferment to produce gas, causing too much water to move into the intestines, causing flatulence, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and cramps. Common examples include:
． Medication depends on symptoms
． Anti-spasmodic drugs are mainly used to relieve abdominal pain and flatulence.
．For diarrhea-predominant IBS, use antidiarrheal medication
． Constipation-predominant IBS = Encourage patients to consume more fiber and use different laxatives depending on the severity
In addition, patients can reduce the onset of irritable bowel syndrome by changing their lifestyle habits:
． Eat small, frequent meals with appropriate portions to help maintain healthy bowel movements.
． Get enough dietary fiber
． Everyone reacts differently to food, so patients with irritable bowel syndrome are advised to try more.
． Patients can also pay attention to the low FODMAP diet that has become popular in recent years.
． FODMAPs are a group of "short-chain carbohydrates fermented in the intestines"
． Difficult to be digested or absorbed in the small intestine
Q: Will "irritable bowel syndrome" worsen and lead to other more serious diseases?
Irritable bowel syndrome will not worsen into other serious diseases, but if it is not treated properly or the symptoms are frequent, it will have a great impact on the patient's life.
Q: Can "irritable bowel syndrome" be cured?
In terms of medical treatment, there is currently no drug that can completely cure irritable bowel syndrome. Drugs can only relieve the symptoms.
Q: How to prevent risks? Any tips for gut protection?
Patients can start from the following 8 points to protect the intestines and reduce the incidence of irritable bowel syndrome:
1. Maintain good living habits
2. Pay attention to diet and develop exercise habits
3. People with diarrhea should avoid high-fat foods, lettuce or caffeinated drinks.
4. Patients with constipation can consume more fiber, such as konjac, oatmeal, etc.
5. Maintain a positive attitude and healthy emotions
6. Keep a regular schedule
7. Get enough sleep
8. Understand your physical condition through physical examination, blood test, stool test, colonoscopy, etc.
Source: Shemom health
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