IBS is a functional
gastrointestinal
disorder marked by abdominal pain or discomfort,
bloating, and irregular bowel
habits, such as diarrhea or constipation. Functional gastrointestinal disorders
are defined by their symptoms. IBS can cause a great deal of discomfort and
distress, but it is not life threatening, does not damage the bowel, and does
not progress to other diseases. IBS should not be confused with
inflammatory
bowel disease (IBD), a group of diseases including ulcerative colitis and
Crohn's disease.
What is the bowel?
The bowel is the section of the gastrointestinal tract
that begins after the stomach, ends at the anus, and has two main sections: the small intestine and
the large intestine—also called the colon.
The bowel has two main sections: the small intestine and the large intestine.
Picture of the Large Intestine
What causes IBS in children?
The cause of IBS is unknown. Research suggests people
with IBS are more sensitive to gas or stool in the colon. People with IBS can also have
abnormalities in how their intestines contract, called motility, which refers to
the rate stool moves through the intestines. Whereas a faster rate of movement
may cause diarrhea, a slower rate may result in constipation.
Researchers have proposed many explanations for the
increased bowel sensitivity and abnormal bowel motility associated with IBS, such as
Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
Rectal bleeding (hematochezia) refers to the passage of bright red blood from the anus. Rectal bleeding may be moderate to severe and most bleeding comes from the colon, rectum, or anus. Common causes include anal fissures, hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, and more.
Diarrhea is a change is the frequency and looseness of bowel movements. Cramping, abdominal pain, and the sensation of rectal urgency are all symptoms of diarrhea. Absorbents and anti-motility medications are used to treat diarrhea.
Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension and fear characterized by physical symptoms. Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 19 million American adults.
Gas or "intestinal gas" means different things to different people. Everyone has gas and eliminates it by belching or farting (passing it through the rectum).
Constipation is defined medically as fewer than three stools per week and severe constipation as less than one stool per week. Constipation usually is caused by the slow movement of stool through the colon. There are many causes of constipation including medications, poor bowel habits, low fiber diets, abuse of laxatives, hormonal disorders, and diseases primarily of other parts of the body that also affect the colon.
Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. The causes of vomiting differ according to age, and treatment depends upon the cause of nausea and vomiting.
Stress occurs when forces from the outside world impinge on the individual. Stress is a normal part of life. However, over-stress, can be harmful. There is now speculation, as well as some evidence, that points to the abnormal stress responses as being involved in causing various diseases or conditions.
Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degrees F. (37 degrees C.), in practice a person is usually not considered to have a significant fever until the temperature is above 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C.). Fever is part of the body's own disease-fighting arsenal: rising body temperatures apparently are capable of killing off many disease- producing organisms.
IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) is a common gastrointestinal disorder involving abnormal gut contractions (motility) characterized by abdominal pain,
bloating, mucous in stools, and irregular bowel habits with alternating diarrhea
and constipation, symptoms that tend to be chronic and to wax and wane over the
years. Treatment options include medication and lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, and stress management to control symptoms. Also called spastic colitis, mucus colitis, nervous colon syndrome.
Stool color is generally brown. When stool color changes, often, an individual becomes concerned. The presence of the bilirubin in bile is generally responsible for stool color. Bilirubin concentration can vary bile color from light yellow to almost black in color. Changes in bilirubin can cause stool to turn green, gray, or clay-like in color. Intestinal bleeding may turn stool black, tarry, red, maroon, or smelly stool. Medication and food may also affect stool color.
Internal bleeding occurs when an artery or vein is damaged and blood to escapes the circulatory system and collects inside the body. Internal bleeding can be caused by a variety of situations such as blunt trauma, deceleration trauma, medications, fractures, and spontaneous bleeding. Treatment of internal bleeding depends on the cause of the bleeding.
Dysphagia or difficulty in swallowing, swallowing problems. Dysphagia is due to problems in nerve or muscle control. It is common, for example, after a stroke. Dysphagia compromises nutrition and hydration and may lead to aspiration pneumonia and dehydration.
The time when boys and girls begin the process of sexual maturation is called puberty. During this time, both sexes undergo a series of biological changes that include a rapid increase in height, bone growth, weight increase, the growth of pubic hair, breast development and the onset of menstruation in girls, and testicle, penis, and muscle enlargement in boys.
Stress may be considered as any physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental unrest and that may be a factor in disease causation. An important goal for those under stress is the management of stress in our lives. Elimination of stress is unrealistic, since stress is a part of normal life. We can however, learn to manage stress through techniques such as exercise, relaxation, meditation, time management, and support systems so that we have control over our stress and its effects on our physical and mental health.
Childhood depression can interfere with social activities, interests, schoolwork and family life. Symptoms and signs include anger, social withdrawal, vocal outbursts, fatigue, physical complaints, and thoughts of suicide. Treatment may involve psychotherapy and medication.
Teenagers recognize that they are developmentally between child and adult. Teen health prevention includes maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, preventing injuries and screening annually for potential health conditions that could adversely affect teenage health.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional disease that can affect the quality of those who suffer from this condition. Individuals with IBS can make lifestyle changes that may modify or control the number and severity of episodes. Certain foods, medications, and hormone levels may trigger IBS episodes. Learn how to prevent the number and severity of IBS episodes of diarrhea and constipation.
Rectal bleeding (known medically as hematochezia) refers to the passage of red blood from the anus, often
mixed with stools and/or
blood clots. (It is
called rectal bleeding because the rectum lies immediately above the anus, and although the bleeding indeed may be coming from the rectum, as discussed later,
it also may be coming from other parts of the gastrointestinal tract.) The
severity of rectal bleeding (i.e., the quantity of blood that is passed) varies widely.
Most episodes of rectal bleeding are mild and stop on their own. Many patients report only passing a few drops of fresh blood that turns
the toilet water pink or observing spots of blood on the tissue paper. Others may
report brief passage of a spoonful or two of blood. Generally, mild rectal
bleeding can be evaluated and treated in the doctor's office without
hospitalization or the need for urgent diagnosis and treatment.
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