Intestinal irritation is caused not only by certain foods, but also by various exogenous and endogenous factors. Every fifth inhabitant of the planet suffers from disorders in the work of the lower part of the digestive system. Doctors even gave this disease an official name: patients with characteristic complaints are diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. According to statistics, women experience this disease twice as often as men. In addition, more than half of the population suffering from this problem do not seek medical help due to mild symptoms.
What is this disease
The above syndrome is a pathological disorder in the digestive system, accompanied by intestinal cramps, bloating, diarrhea or constipation. There is no cure for this condition, but quality of life can be improved through lifestyle changes, diet, and supportive care.
Irritable bowel syndrome cannot be called a life-threatening pathology, since it does not lead to structural changes in the organ. The disease brings a lot of discomfort to a person's life, but at the same time it is not capable of leading to the development of cancer or other serious ailments.
Gastrointestinal tract in anatomy
This section is a soft tissue tube in the human body that originates in the mouth, runs through the esophagus, stomach, and ends at the anus. Everything that enters our body through the oral cavity undergoes numerous processes of processing, digestion, and absorption. Digestion is the main function of the gastrointestinal tract, which can be up to 10 meters long.
The section of the gastrointestinal tract, located above the duodenum 12, is called the upper. It includes the mouth, pharynx, esophagus and stomach. The lower tract includes the small and large intestines, rectum, and anus. The remaining internal organs involved in the process of digestion are additional and do not belong to the gastrointestinal tract.
Now back to the topic of the article. The intestine, the causes of irritation of which we will talk about, is a kind of processing "enterprise" in the body of each of us. The small intestine reaches 5.5 - 6 meters in length and consists of 12 duodenal, jejunum and ileum. This organ begins at the point of docking with the stomach and ends at the transition to the large intestine. The main processing of food entering the body is carried out in the duodenum due to specially produced enzymes andbile. The processed food then enters the jejunum, where beneficial substances are extracted and absorbed at the cellular level. The process of assimilation of nutrients in the ileum is completed, after which the remaining contents are sent to the large intestine. Irritation may occur in one or both gastrointestinal tracts at the same time.
The main function of the large intestine is to extract fluid from the incoming contents and absorb water. Here, the remains of undigested products are formed into solid feces, which are excreted from the body through the rectum and anus.
The length of the large intestine reaches an average of 1.5 m. The lower gastrointestinal tract contains about 500 species of living microorganisms involved in the digestive process. The large intestine replenishes the body with fluid. Here, vitamins and valuable trace elements are released from the incoming food, which subsequently penetrate into the bloodstream. Proper functioning of the large intestine helps to maintain a normal level of acidity in the body, produce antibodies to various diseases and strengthen the immune system.
Factors causing disease
Despite advances in medicine, little is known about the true causes of irritable bowel today. However, researchers with full confidence can name the circumstances that adversely affect the state of the lower gastrointestinal tract and create comfortable conditions for the development of the disease. Among all the potential causes, it is worth noting:
- Violation of the transmission of nerve impulses, vegetative disorders. Because the digestive system is controlled by the brain, a failure in feedback signals can cause symptoms of irritable bowel. Medication may not be enough in this case.
- Deterioration of intestinal peristalsis. This is one of the common causes that lead to IBS. With accelerated motility, diarrhea develops, with slow motility, constipation develops. If there are sudden spasmodic contractions of the smooth muscles of the intestine, the person will experience sharp abdominal pain.
- Psychological disorders. The problem of irritation of the large intestine is faced by mentally unbalanced individuals suffering from panic disorders, who are in restless, depressive states, as well as people experiencing post-traumatic stress syndrome.
- Bacterial gastroenteritis. In this case, it means irritation of the stomach and intestines, caused by representatives of opportunistic microflora.
- Intestinal dysbacteriosis. An imbalance of microorganisms inhabiting the lower gastrointestinal tract leads to the development of atypical symptoms. Dysbacteriosis can lead to the development of flatulence, diarrhea or weight loss.
- Hormonal failures. In people suffering from irritable bowel, the amount of neurotransmitters and hormones in the gastrointestinal tract often changes. So, for example, in the course of research, it was possible to find out that in young girls during menstruation, the symptoms of irritation become more pronounced.
- Hereditary predisposition to the syndromeirritable bowel.
Can food cause irritation
A person with symptoms of IBS should pay close attention to their diet. The qualitative composition of the consumed products plays a predetermining role in the life of the gastrointestinal tract. And here everything is individual: in different patients, completely different products and their combinations can cause an irritable reaction. The most common symptoms of small bowel irritation occur after consumption:
- whole milk;
- liquor;
- soda;
- sweets;
- caffeinated drinks (tea, coffee, cola, energy drinks);
- chocolate;
- fatty meals.
Suspecting irritable bowel syndrome, you should first identify the provoking factor. For the development of the disease, the presence of one or two items from the list presented is enough.
Disease in children
Among the causes of the development of irritable bowel syndrome in childhood, it is worth noting the genetic predisposition, disorders of the child's psycho-emotional background and nutritional errors. Almost half of children with irritable bowel parents suffer from the same pathology. Interestingly, the disease often occurs in twins, with identical twins experiencing this problem more often than fraternal ones.
Doctors were practically able to prove that in a third of clinical cases of IBS occurs in children who have experienced certain psychotraumaticcircumstances. In this case, the disease may not appear immediately. In most cases, the pathology progresses after an acute intestinal infection. Sometimes the disease is caused by intestinal rigidity against the background of an unbalanced diet. Due to the deficiency of products containing plant fiber entering the body, dysbacteriosis develops, which creates optimal conditions for starting the pathological process.
As for babies, there are also babies with intestinal irritation. A formula-fed baby is at a particularly high risk of developing the disease. To prevent the occurrence of IBS in children under 1 year of age, it is not recommended to introduce complementary foods before the age of six months.
Symptomatic of IBS
Signs of intestinal irritation occur mainly after eating. Symptoms appear paroxysmal, most often in bursts of manifestations for several days, after which the irritation becomes less pronounced or disappears altogether. The most characteristic for this pathology are the following symptoms:
- abdominal pain and cramps that usually go away on their own after a bowel movement;
- frequent diarrhea and constipation, often alternating with each other;
- bloating and externally noticeable swelling in the waist;
- persistent flatulence;
- sudden urge to have a bowel movement;
- feeling of a full rectum after a bowel movement;
- discharge of translucent mucus from the anus.
In patients suffering from irritationintestinal mucosa, general well-being worsens, in particular, there is pain and discomfort in the abdomen, because of which patients become nervous, insecure, apathetic. Depending on the symptoms of IBS, there are three patterns of bowel irritation:
- diarrheal type, when the patient has diarrhea attacks several times during the day;
- constipational type (for chronic constipation);
- mixed type, when diarrhea and constipation alternate.
This classification is not exemplary. It is worth noting that all three patterns of irritable bowel syndrome can be observed in the same person for a long period with short asymptomatic interruptions.
Laboratory diagnostics
When referring to a gastroenterologist with complaints of intestinal disorders, persistent bloating and other symptoms of alleged irritation of the intestinal mucosa, you should be prepared for the specialist to prescribe a whole range of procedures.
The stool masses must be examined, so the fecal analysis must be taken first. The results will help determine the presence of blood or parasites in the stool that can cause symptoms similar to other gastrointestinal diseases.
Complete blood count is a mandatory study that helps to accurately determine the number of formed blood cells (erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets), as well as determine the ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate). The number of eachof them allows us to conclude that there is an infectious-inflammatory process in the body, to establish anemia, indicating internal bleeding.
You will also need to take a blood test for celiac disease. This is a test that allows you to exclude the possibility of a specific immune reaction of the body to gluten, a protein found in cereals.
Sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy
Despite the similarity of these two instrumental procedures, their difference lies in the following: colonoscopy allows you to examine all sections of the large intestine, while sigmoidoscopy is used to study the rectum and sigmoid. Research is carried out in specialized medical institutions. It is necessary to carefully prepare for such procedures.
Having scheduled the study for a certain date, the doctor must instruct the patient about the rules for preparing for it:
- A few days before the diagnostic procedure, the patient needs to follow a special diet. Under the ban falls vegetable fiber and products that cause increased gas formation in the intestines. Food should be liquid or puree.
- 1-2 days before the examination of the large intestine, the patient must take a powerful laxative ("Fortrans", "Duphalac", "Portalac", "Pikoprep", "Microlax"), and immediately before the colonoscopy - a cleansing enema.
Before starting a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy, a lung is performedanesthesia. The patient should take a supine position. The procedure is carried out on a special table. An endoscopic specialist inserts a flexible tube with a camera at the end into the patient's anus - it will display an image of the intestinal walls on the monitor screen. Irritation can be recognized by the hyperemic surface of the mucous membrane.
Such types of research are indispensable, as they can provide all the necessary information about the condition of the large intestine. In addition, during the diagnostic procedure, the doctor has the opportunity to immediately remove a sample of the detected neoplasm in order to find out the nature of its origin on a histological examination.
After the procedure, the possibility of side effects such as bloating and abdominal cramps within two hours is not excluded. Over the next day, it is better for the patient to refrain from driving a vehicle. This is enough time for the effects of painkillers and sedatives to completely stop.
In extremely rare cases, patients are prescribed CT or MRI with gadolinium, a contrast agent that can detect malignant tumors. In addition to oncology, sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy is performed if nephrolithiasis, appendicitis, fecal stones are suspected.
The role of fiber in treating irritable bowel
Symptoms in adults and children with this problem determine the choice of therapy for diagnosed IBS. The principle of treatment is to correct the diet and change lifestyle,as a result, it is possible to achieve a significant reduction in the severity and frequency of symptoms, and in uncomplicated cases - to completely eliminate them. In addition to diet, the patient may be prescribed drug therapy and psychological help.
It is important to understand that there is no one-size-fits-all diet. What can be eaten, and what the patient should refuse, the doctor must decide. An approximate menu is compiled at the reception of a specialist. The diet is selected individually depending on the reaction of the intestines to different types of products. Today, gastroenterologists recommend keeping a diary in which for one month it will be necessary to note which foods were eaten and what reaction the body followed to them. Keeping a diary will help identify foods that contribute to intestinal irritation.
How to treat the disease? It is worth noting that taking medications will not bring results without correcting the diet. Before taking medication, it is first of all important to reconsider the possibility of consuming dietary fiber. In patients experiencing problems due to intestinal irritation, symptoms and treatment depend on the type of fiber consumed. There are two main types of fibrous foods:
- soluble fiber, which includes oatmeal, barley, rye products, fresh fruits (bananas, apples), berries and vegetables, except cabbage;
- insoluble fiber found in whole grain bread, bran, nuts and seeds, cabbage and other foods.
Insoluble fibers are not digested, but are excreted from the body almost unchanged. Patients who suffer from diarrheal type IBS should stop eating foods containing insoluble fiber. It is also recommended to reduce the consumption of vegetables with a hard skin, and fruits are not fresh, but baked or stewed. In chronic constipation, the emphasis in nutrition is best done on foods containing soluble dietary fiber. In addition, patients should increase their daily fluid intake.
Basic principles of diet for treatment and prevention
The clinical picture of the disease can worsen and fade, depending on the patient's diet. To improve the condition and well-being with irritable bowels, it is important to follow the following rules:
- Eat regularly, try to eat at the same time, avoid many hours between meals.
- It is advisable to drink at least 6 glasses of liquid a day, not counting juices, broths, compotes. Tea and coffee should be avoided or limited to at least three cups a day.
- When irritating the small intestine under a strict ban on carbonated and alcoholic drinks, caution should be exercised in the use of citrus fruits.
- With diarrhea, any sweeteners are contraindicated, including sorbitol and its derivatives. The most common type of substance found in products for people with diabetes is chewing gum labeled “sugar-free.”
- Useful for flatulence and bloatingwill become oatmeal.
Based on the principles of dieting described above, the gastroenterologist helps the patient to create a diet that is he althy and does not harm the intestines, which should be followed not only in the treatment of intestinal irritation. Diet is the main and most effective measure for disease prevention.
Probiotics and prebiotics
Probiotics are not a group of medicines, they are food supplements that contain live microorganisms - lactic acid bacteria necessary for the full absorption of food and the normal functioning of the digestive system ("Bifiform", "Linex", "Acilact", "Bifiliz " and etc.). Prebiotics can be conditionally called food for beneficial bacteria. Such drugs help to restore the balance of microflora, promote the growth of the number of lacto- and bifidobacteria, inhibit the activity of opportunistic microbes in the intestines (Lactulose, Hilak Forte, Lysozyme, Pantothenic acid, inulin preparations).
Systemic use of probiotics and prebiotics has been clinically proven to reduce or resolve signs of irritable bowel. Despite the fact that these drugs are not medicines, they should be taken after consulting a doctor, following the manufacturer's recommendations.
Drugs for irritable bowel
In addition to probiotics and prebiotics, other groups of drugs are used in the treatment of IBS.
First of all, antispasmodics are prescribed to help eliminate pain and spasms of smooth musclesintestines ("Duspatalin", "Sparex", "Trimedat", "Niaspam", "Papaverin", "Mebeverin"). Taking these medications helps to get rid of individual symptoms of the disease. Most antispasmodics contain peppermint oil, which can cause heartburn, short-term itching and burning in the anus. Before using the funds, be sure to familiarize yourself with the contraindications. Many of the antispasmodics should not be used by children and pregnant women.
Laxatives are the second group of drugs that help relieve intestinal irritation. As a rule, patients with frequent constipation are prescribed Metamucil, Citrucel, Equalactin. The action of these drugs is aimed at increasing the mass of feces and the content of liquid in them, which makes the stool softer, allowing the excrement to move freely to the rectum.
When taking laxatives, it is important not to limit the amount of drinking. Water is necessary so that the dietary fiber, which is the basis of such preparations, entering the intestines, can swell and increase the mass of excrement. When treating with laxatives, it is important to strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions. It is advisable to start treatment with the drug with minimal doses, increasing them if necessary until the feces change their consistency and defecation becomes regular. Do not take laxatives before bed. Almost all drugs in this group provoke bloating and flatulence.
Treatment of intestinal irritation of the diarrheal type involves taking antidiarrheal fasteners (Smecta, Loperamide, Imodium). The main purpose of these drugs is to slow down intestinal motility: due to the inhibition of intestinal motility, the time it takes for food to pass through the gastrointestinal tract increases. Due to this, the feces have time to compact and reach the desired volume, which makes it easier to defecate.
In addition to the positive effects on the body, antidiarrheal drugs have a number of side effects, in particular, they cause bloating, drowsiness, nausea, and dizziness. Pregnant women should not use these funds.
If the patient's psycho-emotional state is suppressed against the background of intestinal irritation, he is prescribed antidepressants. Among the popular and inexpensive drugs, it is worth noting Citalopram, Fluoxetine, Imipramine, Amitriptyline. By the way, the last two drugs belong to the group of tricyclic antidepressants, which are prescribed only if the patient complains of frequent diarrhea and abdominal pain, but he does not have depressive disorders. The most common side effects are dry mouth, constipation, and drowsiness.
"Fluoxetine" and "Citalopram" - representatives of the group of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which are prescribed for abdominal pain, depression and constipation. If you take these medicines for diarrhea, the general condition may worsen. Both drugs can cause similar side effects, includingshort-term loss of visual acuity, dizziness. That is why antidepressants for intestinal irritation should be taken under the strict supervision of the attending physician.
