Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is the most common disorder diagnosed by gastroenterologists reaching up to 50% of consultations and is a common disorder seen by primary care physicians. Although only a percentage of sufferers actually visit their family doctor, this condition causes reduced quality of life and represents a multi-billion pound health-care problem. In 2004 the mean annual direct cost of IBS management per patient was estimated to be £90 in the UK ,C$259 in Canada and US$619 in the USA, with the total annual direct cost related to IBS of £45.6 million in the UK and US$1.35 billion in the USA*. In addition to direct cost, IBS results in indirect (non-medical) costs caused by absence from work and reduced productivity. According to the Novartis supported 2003 TIBS survey, IBS sufferers spent an average 3.9 days in bed, 5.5 days off work, 8.4 days seeing a doctor or nurse and 10.2 days when activities had to be cut short per year. Total USA annual productivity cost associated with IBS were estimated at US$205 million. [data from Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2003 Oct 1;18(7):671-82.]
There is no doubt about it, Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a huge problem, particularly for those who suffer from it as well as in economic terms. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects 10 - 25% (figures vary from report to report) of the general population and is more frequently diagnosed in women compared with men (approximately 80% of the most severe cases involve women), in young people compared with old and in western countries compared with the developing world. It is often associated with emotional stress and is frequently triggered by life changes. According to consultant neurologist Dr. Jane Collins, Irritable Bowel Syndrome is becoming increasingly common among children, as for that matter is diabetes mellitus and is childhood obesity.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is also known as spastic colon, mucous colitis, spastic colitis, nervous stomach or irritable colon. It is a functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) which means that the bowel doesn't work properly without there being an identifiable structural or biochemical cause for this. According to Professor Robin Spiller (Professor in Gastroenterology and Honorary Consultant Physician, Division. Gastroenterology University of Nottingham) and Professor Nicholas Talley (University of Sydney, Napean Hospital) there is growing evidence that Irritable Bowel Syndrome can no longer be purely regarded as a functional disorder and they prefer to judge the disorder to be a discrete collection of organic bowel diseases, with characteristic morphological, psychological, and physiological changes only now being fully appreciated. Key point remains that the gut becomes abnormally sensitive to its content (visceral hypersensitivity), causing changes in contractions and changes in bowel function. Fortunately enough you can do things to make life with IBS a lot easier. I hope this long article gives you useful advice on IBS.