IT’S 2018: TIME FOR A GUT CHECK

Find relief from IBS in the New Year

If you just spent the holiday season over-indulging and dealing with the to-and-fro chaos of family, work and school obligations, you're not alone. Some of us, even when we tried to maintain good health habits during the busiest time of the year, are finding it difficult to recover from the familiar symptoms of eating too much, doing too much and resting too little. For many, all of that manifests as the cramping, bloating, excessive gas and alternating diarrhea and constipation of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

It's not the most pleasant subject to discuss, but IBS is a very common, highly treatable condition. The digestion and propulsion of nutrients and fluids through the gastrointestinal system (GI) is a very complicated and very well-organized process. The GI tract has its own intrinsic muscles and nerves that connect, like an electrical circuit, to the spinal cord and brain.

Neuromuscular events occurring in the GI tract are relayed to the brain through neural connections, and the response of the brain is also relayed back to the GI tract. As a result of this activity, motility and sensation in the bowel are generated. Any abnormality in this process results in a disordered propulsion of the intestinal contents, which generates the sensation of pain.

In multiple health surveys, IBS has been reported to significantly impact quality of life and is a leading cause of missed work days and disability in the United States. Women with IBS seem to have more symptoms during their menstrual periods, suggesting that reproductive hormones can increase IBS symptoms. The good news? A GI specialist can help determine the root cause of your bowel issues and, with medications and lifestyle modifications, provide real relief from your symptoms. What better way to start the new year?