Irritable bowel syndrome is a condition that affects the large intestine. Its symptoms include cramps or abdominal pain otherwise. Moreover, it also has an impact on the bowel movement; both in terms of bowel habits and appearance.
However, the impact of IBS is not limited to physical health, but it also leads extreme stress as well. Moreover, it’s also caused due impaired mental health, further complicating the condition.
Therefore, alongside following the instructions of the Internal Medicine Specialist in Omar Hospital & Cardiac Centre, it is pertinent that facts be set apart from fiction, so that people can work towards improving their physical as well as mental health.
Fact Vs. Myth
Diagnosing IBS is difficult
Myth
You don’t have to undergo complicated tests for a diagnosis. Most often, the patient history with regards to the state of the abdomen, their bowel movement, and the relationship between the two helps doctors ascertain the disease.
IBS is not a serious condition
Myth
With conditions like IBS, even though it is not life and death situation, but it’s not okay to minimize the impact on the life of the person having IBS. Not only can the pain be a great source of discomfort, but the person’s entire lifestyle changes on account of IBS.
Moreover, irritable bowel syndrome also leads to a lot of stress, especially when not managed. Since the condition is chronic, the impact on life continues for life.
Fiber is a good way to manage IBS
Fact
It is true that fiber can help, but there is more to it. If you have constipation, in that case, fiber is greater. However, if you take too much of it, it can lead to bloating and gas. Hence, first consider your symptoms before you seek our dietary remedies.
Stress can cause IBS
Fact
One should never minimize the impact of stress on our lives. Alongside causing much mental turmoil, stress also wreaks havoc on the physical health. Essentially, your gut is referred to your second brain, and hence, the brain and gut relationship is a complex one.
When you are undergoing stress, it has impact on your gut bacteria, which in turn can lead to the symptoms of IBS. Unfortunately, even if the stress subsides, the impact on the brain does not.
Whereas one cannot eliminate stress entirely from their life, it is possible to manage it better by using relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and breathing exercises. Some people might also benefit from therapy as well.
Basically, controlling your stress levels helps in better management of the symptoms, and hence investing in stress releases is important.
IBS diet can help in the management of the disease
Myth
Each person can have a different experience of the disease. What may suit one person, may lead to problems in the other. As diets are not individualized, and are not subjective, therefore, they do not work as such for IBS.
What patients can do is find what foods agrees with their gut alongside figuring out their triggers. This in turn helps in better disease management as opposed to doing some diet.
Fasting helps with IBS
Fact
Again, this fact also needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Fasting helps because you are not putting anything in the system that can upset the system, but a person has to eat, right?
Hence, while technically consuming less food with intervals might help, it is not necessary a cure to the problem. It is more like putting the problem on pause.
IBS cannot be cured
Fact
Unfortunately, IBS is a chronic condition that can be managed, but it cannot be cured entirely. The treatment is not very extensive; by making dietary and lifestyle changes, patients can see a remarkable improvement in their lives.
Some people might need medication, but the Best Internal Medicine Specialist in Islamabad will be the judge of that.
