Irritable bowel syndrome affects millions of Americans, many of them not even realizing that the symptoms they feel are not normal. Some suffer from severe constipation, while others deal with diarrhea. Other symptoms are gas and bloating. According to the Mayo Clinic, as many as 1 in 5 adults has irritable bowel syndrome.

Your Doctor may suspect that you have IBS due to your symtoms. There are specific symptoms that a doctor will look for which is called the “Rome Criteria”. Your doctor may order other medical tests to be sure that you don’t have another health problem that causes the same symptoms. To diagnose IBS you may be asked to take some blood tests and a physical exam. Some other tests that may be included are a Lower Gastrointestinal (GI) Series, which x-rays your abdomen to see any problems in the Large Intestine. Another test is a Colonoscopy, which is when the doctor inserts a tiny camera into your colon to take pictures to see if there are any problems there.

IBS sufferers turn to laxatives or other over-the-counter medicines in hopes that the condition is temporary. But IBS is a chronic condition. Improper or excessive use of laxatives can cause further problems for those with IBS, sometimes causing the condition to change from constipation to diarrhea.

Reducing stress in your life, eating smaller meals, regular exercise such as walking or yoga, and adequate sleep improve this disorder. Increasing fiber in the diet and drinking more water is another way to help the situation. For some patients a natural remedy may be the only medication needed to help. For centuries natural remedies from herbs and plants were used in Asia and Europe to treat nervous stomach and problems in the intestine.

IBS symptoms are many and are often accompanied with or include abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, or a feeling of incomplete bowel movement. There are four different classifications of IBS, which have slightly different symptoms. IBS-D has diarrhea as its predominant symptom. IBS-C is characterized by constipation as its primary symptom. Thirdly IBS-A is named for the acute pain a patient feels as the most predominant of the IBS symptoms. Lastly IBS-PI is named for the fact that the onset of IBS symptoms closely follows an infectious disease the patient has had. Fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or a positive stool culture often characterizes this last form of the disease.

Although IBS is very painful it does not cause any long lasting damage to the colon.

Want to find out more about Ibs Remedies, then visit our site and learn more about A Brief Overview Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.