David March 26th, 2006
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a disorder that interferes with the normal functions of the colon. The symptoms are crampy abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a common disorder found more often in women than in men and usually begins around age 20. Continue Reading »
David March 26th, 2006
Irritable Bowel Syndrome itself is not a disease. As its name indicates, it is a syndrome–a combination of signs and symptoms. But Irritable Bowel Syndrome has not been shown to lead to any serious, organic diseases, including cancer. Through the years, Irritable Bowel Syndrome has been called by many names, among them colitis, mucous colitis, spastic colon, or spastic bowel. However, no link has been established between Irritable Bowel Syndrome and inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.
David March 26th, 2006
Stress – feeling mentally or emotionally tense, troubled, angry, or overwhelmed -stimulates colon spasms in people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The colon has a vast supply of nerves that connect it to the brain. These nerves control the normal rhythmic contractions of the colon and cause abdominal discomfort at stressful times. People often experience cramps or “butterflies” when they are nervous or upset. But with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, the colon can be overly responsive to even slight conflict or stress. Stress also makes the mind more tuned to the sensations that arise in the colon and makes the stressed person perceive these sensations as unpleasant. Continue Reading »
David March 25th, 2006
The colon, which is about 5 feet long, connects the small intestine with the rectum and anus. The major function of the colon is to absorb water, nutrients, and salts from the partially digested food that enters from the small intestine. Two pints of liquid matter enter the colon from the small intestine each day. Stool volume is a third of a pint. The difference in volume represents what the colon absorbs each day. Continue Reading »
