Understand the "little temper" of the intestines - irritable bowel syndrome, and protect intestinal health

Author: Ren Qingling

Unit: Shanxi Bethune Hospital

Have you ever had this experience: your stomach suddenly hurts so much that you have to go to the toilet frequently, but you go to the hospital for various tests and no serious problems are found? This is probably caused by irritable bowel syndrome. In today's fast-paced life, the incidence of irritable bowel syndrome is gradually increasing. Although it does not pose a direct threat to life, it often brings a lot of inconvenience to patients' lives and seriously affects their quality of life.

1. What is irritable bowel syndrome?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common chronic intestinal disease characterized by abdominal pain and intestinal dysfunction. Its special feature is that there are no obvious organic lesions in the intestines, such as inflammation, ulcers, tumors, etc., but a series of annoying symptoms appear. This is because the function of the intestines is disordered, just like a precision machine, although the parts are intact, but there is a problem in its operation.

2. What are the symptoms?

Abdominal pain is often the first "signal" to be sent out. The location of pain is not fixed. It is more common in the lower abdomen and left lower abdomen. Some patients also experience pain around the umbilicus or the whole abdomen. The pain can be mild or severe. Sometimes it feels like the intestines are gently pulled, and sometimes it feels like the intestines are tightened. The duration is also not fixed, ranging from a few minutes to several hours. However, the amazing thing is that when the intestines are exhausted or defecated, the abdominal pain is often relieved, just like a tight string suddenly loosened.

Defecation also becomes "abnormal". For patients with diarrhea, the number of bowel movements per day increases significantly, up to 3-5 times or even more, and the stool is thin and mushy or watery, as if the intestines are eager to expel the contents from the body; patients with constipation are completely the opposite, defecation is very strenuous, the stool is dry and small, and the shape is like sheep dung or thin sticks, and there is always a feeling that there is still unexcreted stool in the stomach; some patients are even more distressed, with diarrhea and constipation appearing alternately, which makes people confused and it is impossible to predict the next "mood" of the intestines. These symptoms are also particularly "naughty". When you are nervous, stressed, or after eating certain specific foods, they will become more severe and seriously interfere with our life and work rhythm.

In addition to the above main symptoms, patients often have other gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal distension, hyperactive bowel sounds, indigestion, stomach burning, nausea, vomiting, etc. The feeling of abdominal distension usually subsides after eating or in the afternoon or at night after sleeping. This is due to the combined effects of excessive gas production and poor gas discharge in the intestines, as well as the lowered threshold of gas perception in the intestines. Hyperactive bowel sounds reflect abnormal enhancement or disorder of intestinal peristalsis. Sometimes patients themselves can hear obvious "gurgling" sounds coming from their abdomen, which not only causes physical discomfort to patients, but may also cause a certain psychological burden in social situations.

3. Why do people suffer from irritable bowel syndrome?

The cause of the disease is like a complex puzzle, interwoven with a variety of factors. Diet is one of the important "puzzles". Raw, cold, spicy, greasy, high-sugar foods, as well as excessive coffee and alcohol, may irritate the intestines and become the fuse for the symptoms. Mental and psychological factors also play a key role. Long-term anxiety, depression, tension and other negative emotions will interfere with the neuroregulatory function between the brain and the intestines like mischievous elves, causing the peristalsis of the intestines to become disordered and the intestines to become abnormally sensitive. In addition, intestinal flora imbalance is like the "small society" in the intestines losing balance; the "sequelae" left by intestinal infections; abnormal gastrointestinal motility, visceral hypersensitivity and genetic factors, etc., all play their respective roles in this puzzle and jointly contribute to the occurrence of irritable bowel syndrome.

4. How to treat and prevent?

Although we cannot completely "defeat" the "little monster" of irritable bowel syndrome at present, we can definitely "tame" it through some methods so that it will no longer act recklessly.

In terms of diet, we must learn to be "picky" and avoid foods that are known to induce symptoms. We should feed the intestines more foods rich in dietary fiber, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, etc., and develop good habits of eating small meals at regular times and in fixed amounts. We must resolutely put an end to overeating and excessive hunger, so that the intestines can work in an orderly manner, reduce the burden on the intestines, and maintain the stability of the intestinal digestion and absorption function.

A regular work and rest schedule is like setting a stable biological clock for the intestines. Ensure adequate sleep and avoid staying up late, so that the intestines can get enough rest and repair at night. Avoid long-term overwork and develop the habit of regular bowel movements.

Appropriate physical exercise, such as walking, jogging, yoga, etc., can enhance the body's resistance and make the intestinal function stronger.

Psychological adjustment should not be underestimated either. We must learn to be the masters of our emotions. When stress and negative emotions come, we can dispel them through meditation, deep breathing, listening to music, traveling, etc., so that our minds can relax.

If the symptoms have seriously affected your life, don't try to hold on, go to the hospital in time and receive medication under the professional guidance of a doctor. The doctor will accurately select antidiarrheal drugs, laxatives, gastrointestinal motility regulators, antispasmodics, probiotics and other drugs based on the specific symptoms to help us relieve symptoms and reduce the frequency and severity of attacks.

Although irritable bowel syndrome brings a lot of trouble to our lives, as long as we understand it in depth, start from all aspects of life, actively adjust our diet, work and rest, and mental state, and cooperate with necessary treatment, we will be able to live in harmony with the intestines and return to a healthy and comfortable life track.