IBS is an abbreviation and stands for "Irritable Bowel Syndrome" which in Swedish means oversensitive, or easily irritated bowel. This means that you have a disorder in the bowel that affects its function and sensation. IBS is a chronic disease that can come and go for a while and which unfortunately lacks specific treatment in healthcare today. It is simply not known what causes IBS, but it is a harmless disease that is unfortunately becoming increasingly common, especially among young people.
Even if you don't know why IBS occurs, you still know roughly what happens in the body. IBS is believed to be caused by changes in the gut where the function and interaction between the muscles and nerves of the gut become unbalanced. The interaction between the brain and the gut via nerves is also affected. Stress, anxiety and worry can trigger IBS symptoms but are not considered a cause.
Common symptoms of IBS are:
- Gripe
- Nagging pain in the stomach
- Pain (or less pain) after you eat
- A lot of gases
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Irregular toilet habits
You may also experience other symptoms such as nausea, sweating, palpitations, headaches, fatigue and gastritis. To be diagnosed with IBS, you must have had the symptoms for more than 3 consecutive months. There is no known cure for IBS, but there are lots of things you can do yourself to relieve the symptoms and reduce the discomfort. It may take some experimentation, but it will be worth it.
Tips for you with IBS:
- Keep a food diary and you'll discover what makes you better and worse.
- Avoid foods that make your symptoms worse – this is where you have to experiment.
- Examples of foods that many people find unwell are strong spices, fatty foods, coffee, alcohol, onions, legumes, cabbage, sweeteners, milk products (lactose).
- Drink plenty of water, preferably 1.5–2 liters per day to avoid constipation and facilitate digestion.
- Try eating according to FODMAP with the help of a dietitian or doctor.
- Eat small portions often
- Eat slowly and chew your food well.
- Reduce stress in your everyday life
- Go to the toilet regularly
- Exercise regularly
- Try lactic acid bacteria supplements
- Silica gel – relieves several IBS symptoms
Do you want help from experts?
The company Belly Balance is run by dietitian Sofia Antonsson and specializes in stomach health and IBS. Sofia is the one who implemented the FODMAP dietary treatment in Swedish healthcare. Belly Balance offers free IBS treatment digitally and if you are unsure whether you have IBS, there is also a test on their website.
You can also get help from the County Council. If you have an IBS diagnosis, the County Council offers training together with a dietitian where you get useful information about IBS and many tips on how you can help your body deal with it. FODMAP, as we mentioned above, stands for “Fermentable, Oligo-Di and Monosaccharides and Sugar Alcohols (Polyols)” and is a diet that can relieve IBS symptoms. The method comes from Australia where it has been researched by doctors and dietitians since 2005. With FODMAP, you exclude fermentable carbohydrates that can cause stomach problems with IBS. It may seem a bit strange at first, but it has helped many people and may be worth trying.