The following symptoms are common in Irritable Bowel Syndrome:

• Abdominal pain which is better after bowel movements
• diarrhea alternating with constipation
• Increased frequency of stool or
• Alteration in consistency of stool
• flatulence
• mucus during or after passing stool
• Abdominal distension

Many people have already modified their diets before seeing a doctor. Temporarily avoiding dairy products may help assess whether symptoms of lactose intolerance are mimicking those of irritable bowel syndrome. Certain foods, such as cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts) and legumes (beans) may worsen bloating and flatulence

• Maintaining good physical fitness improves bowel function and helps reduce stress.
• Stop smoking
• Avoid coffee and spicy foods
• Reduce alcohol consumption

Because irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic disease, symptoms usually return from time to time. This may be influenced by factors such as stress, diet, or other environmental causes. Multiple factors may play a role in aggravating IBS, so it may be difficult to predict which may make IBS worse for a particular person. Establishing a good relationship with a doctor may help alleviate concerns over symptoms and allow rapid recognition of changing or worsening symptoms.

Most people with IBS find signs and symptoms improve as they learn to control the condition. Only a small percentage of people with irritable bowel syndrome have severe signs and symptoms.

Fortunately, unlike more serious intestinal diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome doesn’t cause inflammation or changes in bowel tissue or increase risk of cancer. In many cases, we can control irritable bowel syndrome by managing diet, lifestyle and stress.

Many people may have mild signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. But sometimes these problems can be disabling, however. In some cases, the signs and symptoms may become severe. Because symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome can be present with other diseases, it’s best to discuss these symptoms with the doctor. For most people, IBS is a chronic condition, although there will likely be times when the signs and symptoms are worse and times when they improve or even disappear completely.

For reasons that still aren’t clear, someone with IBS may react strongly to stimuli that don’t bother other people. Exciting factors for IBS can range from gas or pressure on intestines to certain foods, medications or emotions. For example:

• Foods: chocolate, milk, alcohol, carbonated beverages, farinaceous food, some fruits and vegetables
• Stress: signs and symptoms are worse or more frequent during stressful events, such as a change in daily routine or family arguments
• Other illnesses: Sometimes another illness, such as an acute episode of infectious diarrhea (gastroenteritis), can trigger IBS.

Many people have occasional signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, but are more likely to have IBS if they are young and female. IBS usually begins before the age of 35 in most of the cases. Heredity also may play a role.

Anyone can experience digestive upset from worry or anxiety. But in irritable bowel syndrome, stress-related problems such as abdominal pain and diarrhea tend to occur with greater frequency and intensity. Finding ways to deal with stress may be helpful in preventing or aggravation of symptoms: Following are other ways of getting relief in complains of irritable bowel syndrome:

• Counseling
• Biofeedback
• Regular stress relieving exercises
• PRANAYAM
• Hypnosis
• Meditation
• YOGA

In many cases, simple changes in diet and lifestyle can provide relief from irritable bowel syndrome. Although body may not respond immediately to these changes, the goal is to find long-term, not temporary, solutions:

• Increase fiber diet
• Avoid foods that cause the symptoms to worsen
• Maintain regular time of eating
• Avoid prolong fasting
• Avoid dairy products if they are known to cause symptoms of indigestion
• Drink enough water
• Do exercise regularly

Role of Homeopathy in Irritable Bowel Syndrome:
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is most of the times found associated with stress and intolerance of selective food items. These food items may very from person to person. Homeopathy has greater success in managing cases of Irritable Bowel Syndrome for many reasons. Homeopathic approach to a chronic case has lot of psychological exploration of the patients in order to arrive at a right remedy for the person. These methods of investigation help in select6ing most suitable remedy for the person. Besides the action of right remedy which is selected very carefully, patient’s experience of talking out their inner feeling states with the homeopathic physician also plays an important role in the successful treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Other sense homeopathic physician plays a role of councilor during treatment of such chronic illness which is certainly made worse on account of stress. Besides this homeopathic medicines are safe and effective. It works without producing any side effects. Patients can avoid side effects arising from the long term use of conventional treatment.

1. Crohn’s colitis
2. Crohn’s enteritis
3. Crohn’s terminal ileitis
4. Crohn’s entero-colitis and ileo-colitis

Crohn’s terminal ileitis and ileo-colitis are the most common types of Crohn’s disease.
Up to one third of patients with Crohn’s disease may have one or more of the following conditions involving the anal area:

   1. Swelling of the tissue of the anal sphincter, the muscle at the end of the colon that controls defecation.

   2. Development of ulcers and fissures (long ulcers) within the anal sphincter. These ulcers and fissures can cause bleeding
      and pain with defecation.

   3. Development of anal fistulae (abnormal tunnels) between the anus or rectum and the skin surrounding the anus). Mucous
      and pus may drain from the openings of the fistulae on the skin.

   4. Development of peri-rectal abscesses (collections of pus in the anal and rectal area). Peri-rectal abscesses can cause
       fever, pain and tenderness around the anus.

Crohn’s disease doesn’t just affect you physically only but it takes an emotional toll as well. If signs and symptoms are severe, your life may revolve around a constant need to run to the toilet. In some cases, you may barely be able to leave the house. When you do, you might worry about an accident, and this anxiety only makes your symptoms worse.

Even if your symptoms are mild, gas and abdominal pain can make it difficult to be out in public. You may also feel hampered by dietary restrictions or embarrassed by the nature of your disease. All of these factors — isolation, embarrassment and anxiety — can severely alter your life. Sometimes they may lead to depression.

You may also find it reassuring to be among people who understand what you’re going through.
Some people find it helpful to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist who’s familiar with inflammatory bowel disease and the emotional difficulties it can cause. Although living with Crohn’s disease can be discouraging, the outlook is brighter than it was even just a few years ago.
Lifestyle and other remedial measures:
Sometimes you may feel helpless when facing Crohn’s disease. But changes in your diet and lifestyle may help control your symptoms and lengthen the time between flare-ups.

Diet:
There’s no firm evidence that what you eat actually causes inflammatory bowel disease. But certain foods and beverages can aggravate your signs and symptoms, especially during a flare-up in your condition. It’s a good idea to try eliminating from your diet anything that seems to make your signs and symptoms worse. Here are some suggestions that may help:

• Limit dairy products. Like many people with inflammatory bowel disease, you may find that problems, such as diarrhea, abdominal pain and gas, improve when you limit or eliminate dairy products. You may be lactose intolerant — that is, your body can’t digest the milk sugar (lactose) in dairy foods. If so, try substituting yogurt or low-lactose cheeses, such as Swiss and cheddar, for milk. Or use an enzyme product, such as Lactaid, to help break down lactose. In some cases, though, you may need to eliminate dairy foods completely. If you need help, a registered dietitian can help you design a healthy diet that’s low in lactose. Keep in mind that with limiting your dairy intake, you’ll need to find other sources of calcium, such as supplements.
• Try low-fat foods. If you have Crohn’s disease of the small intestine, you may not be able to digest or absorb fat normally. Instead, fat passes through your intestine, making your diarrhea worse. Foods that may be especially troublesome include butter, margarine, peanut butter, nuts, mayonnaise, avocados, cream, ice cream, fried foods, chocolate and red meat.
• Experiment with fiber. For most people, high-fiber foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains, are the foundation of a healthy diet. But if you have inflammatory bowel disease, fiber may make diarrhea, pain and gas worse. If raw fruits and vegetables bother you, try steaming, baking or stewing them. You may also find that you can tolerate some fruits and vegetables, but not others. In general, you may have more problems with foods in the cabbage family, such as broccoli and cauliflower, and with very crunchy foods such as raw apples and carrots.
• Avoid problem foods. Eliminate any other foods that seem to make your signs and symptoms worse. These may include “gassy” foods such as beans, cabbage and broccoli, raw fruit juices and fruits — especially citrus fruits — spicy food, popcorn, alcohol, caffeine, and foods and drinks that contain caffeine, such as chocolate and soda.

Eat small meals. You may find you feel better eating five or six small meals rather than two or three larger ones.
Drink plenty of liquids. Try to drink plenty of fluids daily. Water is best. Alcohol and beverages that contain caffeine stimulate your intestines and can make diarrhea worse, while carbonated drinks frequently produce gas.
Consider multivitamins. Because Crohn’s disease can interfere with your ability to absorb nutrients and because your diet may be limited, multivitamin and mineral supplements are often helpful.
Talk to a dietitian. If you begin to lose weight or your diet has become very limited, talk to a registered dietitian.
Stress:
Although stress doesn’t cause Crohn’s disease, it can make your signs and symptoms much worse and may trigger flare-ups. Stressful events can range from minor annoyances to a major event such as job loss or the death of a loved one.

When you’re stressed, your normal digestive process changes. Your stomach empties more slowly and secretes more acids. Stress can also speed or slow the passage of intestinal contents. It may also cause changes in intestinal tissue itself.

Although it’s not always possible to avoid stress, you can learn ways to help manage it. Some of these include:

• Exercise: Even mild exercise can help reduce stress, relieve depression and normalize bowel function. Talk to your doctor about an exercise plan that’s right for you.
• Biofeedback: This stress-reduction technique helps you reduce muscle tension and slow your heart rate with the help of a feedback machine. You’re then taught how to produce these changes yourself. The goal is to help you enter a relaxed state so that you can cope more easily with stress. Biofeedback is usually taught in hospitals and medical centers.
• Regular relaxation and breathing exercises: An effective way to cope with stress from Crohn’s disease is to regularly relax and exercise. You can take classes in yoga and meditation or practice at home using books or tapes.
• You can also practice progressive relaxation exercises: These help relax the muscles in your body, one by one. Start by tightening the muscles in your feet, then concentrate on slowly letting all the tension go. Next, tighten and relax your calves. Continue until muscles in your body, including those in your eyes and scalp, are completely relaxed.
• Deep breathing also can help you relax: Most adults breathe from their chests. But you become calmer when you breathe from your diaphragm — the muscle that separates your chest from your abdomen. When you inhale, allow your belly to expand with air; when you exhale, your abdomen naturally contracts. Deep breathing can also help relax your abdominal muscles, which may lead to more normal bowel activity.
• Hypnosis: Hypnosis may reduce abdominal pain and bloating. A trained professional teaches you how to enter a relaxed state and then guides you as you imagine your intestinal muscles becoming smooth and calm.
• Other techniques: Set aside at least 20 minutes a day for any activity you find relaxing — listening to music, reading, playing computer games or just soaking in a warm bath.

In young age after finishing education, job or business stat and you suffer or pass with lots of mental stretch and physical afford for challenging job they are moving here and there and eat contamination food and water. After some time, their liver and colon functions poorly and may suffer from diarrhea. Some time mucus passes from stool. Day by day, infection goes deeply and become irritable bowel syndrome or ulcer form and make ulcerative colitis Person may feel slight stressed some time mucus or blood passes from stool, patient feel general weakness.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders seen these days and is sometimes referred to as spastic colon, mucous colitis, spastic colitis, and nervous stomach or irritable colon.

Cause of IBS: There may be many causes of IBS. Anything that affects the production of friendly bacteria in the gut can lead to this syndrome. Some factors that may predispose to IBS are:

A genetic tendency, Excessive stress, Food allergies – like wheat, barley, sugar, yeast, milk, beef, pork, corn, orange juice and many more, A low fiber diet, Infestation with intestinal parasites, Abuse of laxatives, antibiotics and steroids.

Common symptoms: Altered either diarrhea mostly constipation, Rumbling of abdomen with pain which often urges for passing stool. Pain and urge starts especially after eating more in the morning. Pain will be more especially in the lower abdomen like cramps.

Relief from pain/rumbling abdomen gas temporarily on passing stool. Frequent urge with unsatisfied incomplete evacuations, Bloating of abdomen with gas and burning eructation’s ,Passing ribbon like stools with slimy mucous ,Indigestion and diarrhea immediately after eating,

Being restless; giddiness, tremors and palpitations can occur. Fear of food with dyspepsia, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and weight loss occurs in due course, Abdominal pain or cramping that may go away after a bowel movement, Bloating or gas in abdomen,

Change in bowel pattern such as loose or more frequent bowel movements… Diarrhea especially after eating or first thing in the morning, mucus passes in stool. Feeling a strong urge to have a bowel movement, Feeling that you have not finished a bowel movement.

1. Physical Causes - Even after extensive research, doctor could not identify any cause, infection, inflammation, particular allergy, obstruction, biochemical changes or structural changes in IBS patients. So, treatment for a particular patient may vary from doctor to doctor. In correlating the sufferings and incidences, the suspected triggers are:

2. Mental Cause: - Worrying, anxiety, fear, constant brooding, too much mental work, inadequate sleep, tension, being emotional can play havoc with the bowels. Attending interviews and social events with much anticipation can also precipitate the complaint.

3. Food Habit Cause: - Low, Fiber food highly processed or refined food, spicy food with more chilies and sauces can trigger IBS. Chemically treated water, chemically processed foods/vegetables, lactose intolerances and mal-absorption can also provoke IBS. Regular food habits, sedentary habits, lack of exercise and drinking alcohol.

Diagnosis - Nowadays, doctors exclude other diseases (appendix, gall stones, pancreatic stones, worms, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, intestinal obstruction or intusseption, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, cancer, etc.) by considering age factor, health status, family history, lifestyle and with investigations like stool examination / routine blood tests / hormonal analysis / ultra sound scan / colonoscopy / Sigmoidoscopy. Finally, if every report seems to be normal, then they tend to place one under the clause of IBS.

Prevention on controlling Irritable Bowel Syndrome:

Avoid milk food products and sweets with high sugar like French fries, milk products like cheese, ice cream, chocolates, alcohol, caffeine and carbonated drinks like soda that will intensify the symptoms of IBS.

Stress, tension, depression, disappointment, envy, Large meals can cause cramping and diarrhea. So try eating four or five meals a day or have your usual three meals but eat less at each meal.

Smoking, Heavy protein diet like meat, beans, etc , over processed or cooked foods, Aerated drinks, coffee and tea , alcohol and tobacco chewing , Food containing heavy spices, chilies, pepper and sausages may also lead to IBS Stress can trigger your symptoms too. Hence, learning to reduce stress can help reduce cramping and pain.

Eating foods with fiber can reduce the symptoms of IBS… Drink plenty of water, Avoid frequent use of laxatives. You may become dependent on them and your intestines may become weakened.

Get accustomed to emotions, take timely balanced diet, drink plenty of water, take small meals at frequent intervals and take high fiber diet with less fat… Do regular exercises, Meditation along with Homeopathic medicines may help too?

Hence, for a safe, natural, effective and long lasting answer for IBS, consider Homeopathy.

Irritable bowel syndrome homeopathy treatment:

Nux vomica: Abdominal pains and bowel problems accompanied by tension, constricting sensations, chilliness, and irritability can indicate a need for this remedy. Soreness in the muscles of the abdominal wall, as well as painful gas and cramps are common. Firm pressure on the abdomen brings some relief

Lycopodium: This remedy is often indicated for people with chronic digestive discomforts and bowel problems. Bloating and a feeling of fullness come on early in a meal or shortly after, and a large amount of gas is usually produced. Heartburn and stomach pain are common, and the person may feel better from rubbing the abdomen. Things are typically worse between four and eight p.m.

Sulphur: This remedy is often indicated when a sudden urge toward diarrhea wakes the person early in the morning (typically five a.m.) and makes them hurry to the bathroom. Diarrhea can come on several times a day. The person may, at other times, be constipated and have gas with an offensive and pervasive smell. Oozing around the rectum, as well as itching, burning, and red irritation may also be experienced

Merc.cor: Digestive upsets accompanied by nervousness and anxiety suggests the use of this remedy. Bloating, rumbling flatulence, nausea, and greenish diarrhea can be sudden and intense. Diarrhea may come on immediately after drinking water. Eating too much sweet or salty food.

Chelidonium: A feeling of constriction all along the digestive tract (especially if muscular contractions in the intestines and esophagus seem to be moving in the wrong direction) strongly indicates this remedy. The person may have a feeling that a bubble is stuck in the throat, or that a lump is moving up from the stomach. The abdomen feels inflated, but the person finds it hard to pass gas in either direction to get relief.

Colocynthis: This remedy is indicated when cutting pains and cramping occur, making the person bend double or need to lie down and press on the abdomen. Cramps may be felt in the area of the pubic bone. Leg pain and gall bladder problems are sometimes seen when this remedy is needed.

Lilium tigrinum: When this remedy is indicated, the person may make frequent unsuccessful efforts to move the bowels all day and have sudden diarrhea the following morning. A feeling of a lump in the rectum, worse when standing up, is common. Hemorrhoids may develop the stomach

Carbo veg: This remedy is often indicated for mild people who have trouble digesting and assimilating many foods and have to stay on restricted diets. Indigestion, heartburn, and even ulcers may occur if offending foods are eaten. The person often is intolerant of milk and drinking it or eating dairy products can lead to gas and sputterrhea with an empty feeling in

Argentum nitricum: Digestive upsets accompanied by nervousness and anxiety suggests the use of this remedy. Bloating, rumbling flatulence, nausea, and greenish diarrhea can be sudden and intense. Diarrhea may come on immediately after drinking water. Eating too much sweet or salty food (which the person often craves) may also lead to problems. A person who needs this remedy tends to be expressive, impulsive, and claustrophobic, and may have blood sugar problems.

Asafoetida: A feeling of constriction all along the digestive tract (especially if muscular contractions in the intestines and esophagus seem to be moving in the wrong direction) strongly indicates this remedy. The person may have a feeling that a bubble is stuck in the throat, or that a lump is moving up from the stomach. The abdomen feels inflated, but the person finds it hard to pass gas in either direction to get relief. Constipation brings on griping pains. Diarrhea can be explosive, and the person may even regurgitate food in small amounts. The person may exhibit a strong emotional or “hysterical” element when this remedy is needed.