Many people with irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, develop a sixth sense about public restrooms. They know where to find one in a hurry. Doctors are not sure what causes IBS, but many believe it’s a muscle contraction or “motility” disturbance. The walls of the intestines are lined with layers of muscles that contract and relax as they move food from the stomach through the intestinal tract. The muscles contract and relax in regular rhythm, in people who don’t have IBS.

Another theory blames an overgrowth of intestinal bacteria. In one study, doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles found that 78 percent of the 202 IBS patients they studied have a condition known as “small intestine bacterial growth,” in which the bacteria that normally live in the colon somehow find their way into the relatively sterile small intestine. The small intestine responds with an increase in gas and bloating after meals, as well as noticeable changes in the usual bowel habits.

Some doctors think that IBS may be second only to the common cold as America’s most widespread medical complaint.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Symptoms

- crampy pain in the stomach area

- painful diarrhea or constipation

- mucus in the stool

- swollen or bloated abdomen

- the feeling that you have when not finished a bowel movement

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Treatment

Try to relax more. Anything you can do to help yourself unwind should help to alleviate your symptoms. You may benefit from relaxation techniques, such as meditation, self-hypnosis, or biofeedback.

Keep a record of stress situations. People with an irritable bowel have an intestinal system that overreacts to food, stress, and hormonal changes.

Eat more fiber. Many people with IBS do much better simply by adding fiber to their diets. Fiber tends to be most effective with people who tend toward constipation and small hard stools, but it may also help you if you’re experiencing diarrhea.

Drink plenty of water. To keep your bowels moving smoothly, you need not only fiber but also fluids. Drink between 6 and 8 glasses of water a day.

Put away dairy products. One thing you may be better off without is milk. A large number of people who say they have irritable bowel syndrome are really lactose intolerant.

Easy on the fat. Fat is a major stimulus to colonic contractions. It can worsen your IBS. Try eliminating heavy sauces, fried foods, and salad oils.

Watch out for spicy foods. People with IBS are sensitive to foods laden with peppers and other spices.

Coffee is a major cause of woe among people with IBS. To some extent, the culprit may be caffeine, but it may be the resins in the coffee bean itself.

Alcoholic beverages can increase your problems.

Smoking can also be problematic, the culprit is nicotine.

Gums and candies artificially sweetened with sorbitol are not easily digested and can worsen your IBS.

Eat on a regular schedule.