Your Basket:12 Items £233.16 View Basket | Check Out
Causes of irritable bowel syndrome
There is clearly no one cause of irritable bowel syndrome as it presents as a range of symptoms. Medical examination usually cannot find a physical abnormality that can explain the symptoms, but in general symptoms are believed to be caused by malfunction of the digestive tract lining, by uncontrolled muscle contractions in the bowel wall and/or by disruption of the natural gut microorganisms.
As we researched the causes of IBS in more detail we have come across a range of possiblities including possibilties which present IBS like symptoms. So in the table below we have put these into a list, with a summary of the theory behind each and some comments based on our experience on what to do next.
| Possible Cause |
Symptoms/Theory |
IBSHealthcare Experience |
| Poor Diet | General IBS symptoms. A bad diet means your digestive system can’t work properly |
You probably know that you are not eating healthily and will feel a benefit when you increase your fruit and veg intake and reduce alcohol etc. |
| Stress | Urgency; cramping, diarrhoea; constipation etc Stress hormones trigger the “fight or flight” reactions in your digestive system and over time you become hypersensitive or even damage the nerve cells/intestinal membrane |
Your memory of the symptoms initially occurred around big events in your life or when you were particularly emotionally stressed. It could be that this is no longer the only trigger but finding time to relax, and increasing exercise seems to help many. Carrying symptom treatments such as Imodium, mebeverine, Colpermin not only ensures that you have some thing to hand but also reduces the worry and stress in the first place |
| Food Intolerance | General IBS Symptoms - Specific food allergies (which can be tested for via blood test) trigger increased anti-bodies and allergic reactions. Real intolerances are much harder to identify but your symptoms will be very specific to the particular food stuff and will disappear upon exclusion of the particular food. It is unlikely to be linked to a wide range or variety foods. Common foods which can elicit such as response includes: Dairy products, Cereals e.g. Wheat, barley and rye, Caffeine products e.g. tea, coffee and cola, Spicy foods, Alcohol and Smoking. | If specific foods are triggering the symptoms then you should avoid them and possibly get an allergy test. If your symptoms are more general rather than excluding lots of food groups try supporting your natural digestive processes by taking food supplements like probiotics, digestive enzymes, nucleotides (IntestAid), Aloeride, etc With suspected food sensitivity care must be taken in ensuring that you continue to manage a balanced diet, where appropriate advice should be sought from experienced dietician. |
| Bacterial Imbalance | The natural balance of the gut micro flora (bacteria and other microorganisms), which helps to digest your food can be severely affected after episodes of gastroenteritis a very common and infectious illness involving vomiting and diarrhoea. Usually caused by food poisoning (bacterial or viral infection), mild cases clear up without intervention, but when antibiotics are prescribed they kill the friendly bacteria as well as the infection. So there is not enough good bacteria to digest food in the lower bowel. Symptoms include bloating; irregular movements etc and other IBS symptoms | If you’ve been ill it seems feasible that your digestive bacteria could be out of balance and it’s worth trying a course of pro & prebiotics. Equally taking regular supplements to support your natural processes would seem worthwhile trying |
| Helicobacter Infection | Linked to symptoms of intestinal ulcers (not stomach ulcers) and can be tested via analysis of your breath | If you get a lot of heartburn/ indigestion alongside your IBS symptoms and it’s eased by antacids then it could be worth getting the test. Once diagnosed there are anti-biotic to get rid of the infection. See above re Bacterial imbalance |
| AS Disease | Genetically linked arthritis condition which can be diagnosed by testing for the specific gene. Lower back and joint pain will occur alongside the IBS symptoms | Once diagnosed evidence suggests a reduced starch diet and or taking starch digestion enzymes can help reduce symptoms |
| Over Production of bile | General symptoms of IBS - Digestive juices can be tested for levels of bile. Symptoms will be relieved upon taking bile acid sequestrants (binders) Increased levels of acidic bile upsetting the intestinal membrane |
You will need a prescription from your Doctor as this medicine is more often used for people that have had their gall bladder removed or have IBD/Crohns Disease. Soluble fibre products might do the same job |
| Damaged intestinal membranes and nerve cells | General IBS symptoms, cramping, pain. Cause of damage not clear but one possibility is overproduction of specific enzymes which damage cells and nerve endings | There could be lots of reasons why your lining is damaged or your nerve cells are hypersensitive. Looking back to when you first started experiencing the symptoms may help you understand what initially caused the damage. Try taking food supplements that support your natural digestive processes, particularly nucleotides (IntestAid) |
| Blastocystis Infection (parasite infection) | General Symptoms of IBS - This can be tested through a stool sample. There is some suggestion that this is more commonly picked up when abroad, but it may be quite a common cause behind IBS symptoms. | Your doctor can treat the infection and your system should get back to normal. If it takes some time, then try helping it get back to normal with the natural food supplements that support digestive health. |
We will update this over time to help sufferers explore different ways to cope.
For further advice on how to manage your diet please take a look at our Nutrition pages.
If you experience any problems, please contact us on 01925 601 663 or info@ibshealthcare.co.uk
