Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is more common than many people realize. And IBS involves more than your digestive system — it’s also a condition linked to the brain and nervous system. “IBS is known as a disorder of the gut-brain axis,” says Vimal Bodiwala, MD, a gastroenterologist at PeaceHealth in Longview, Washington. This means that it involves the brain’s signals to the digestive tract.
Worldwide, 1 in 10 people may have IBS, according to the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders. IBS is about twice as common in people who identify as women, the foundation says.
IBS is a long-term condition, but it is possible to reduce symptoms. The severity of how you feel can also vary from day to day or even throughout the day.
It isn’t entirely clear why some people experience IBS. It may be how the muscles in the intestines move food around. “Medical science has shown that there are many factors that could lead to the condition,” Dr. Bodiwala says. “Increased gut sensitivity and life stressors might also play a role.”
A key symptom is abdominal pain that goes away after you have a bowel movement (using the restroom).
Your treatment will depend on how much the symptoms are affecting your daily life. Your doctor may recommend a low-FODMAP diet, reducing stress or physical therapy.
FODMAPs are carbohydrates that are in many types of foods. It stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. Dr. Bodiwala advises against starting a LOW FODMAP diet on your own. He also recommends speaking with your doctor prior to starting it.
If you have digestive problems, these can make your symptoms worse.
Following a low-FODMAP diet means you stop eating high-FODMAP foods for about two months. Then you slowly add them back in to your diet to see what foods cause digestion problems.
Vimal Bodiwala, MD, is a gastroenterologist and hepatologist. He graduated medical school from SUNY Downstate College of Medicine in Brooklyn, New York, and went on to complete his internal medicine residency training at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital where he graduated with “Distinction in Research” for his published works in the fields of Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Hepatitis C and other fields.
