In Woodlands and Conroe, TX, questions about Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBS) can be answered by Dr. Ilyas Memon of Greater Houston Gastroenterology. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBS) affects between 10-15% of adults worldwide. About 12% of people in the US have IBS. While it is not life-threatening, it certainly affects the quality of life. IBS stands for Irritable Bowel Syndrome and this is a perfect description of how your guts feel when you have this disease; irritable.
While the disease can be very disruptive to your life, causing a lot of pain and discomfort, it does not damage your digestive system. It is what is now referred to as gut-brain interaction. Your brain and your gut are not working well together. This leads to the muscles in your gut not contracting correctly.
IBS is a disease that affects the small intestine and the large intestine. However, the pain and irritation can extend to the stomach and certainly to the rectum when you have had an extended episode of diarrhea or constipation.
IBS has many symptoms and the disease can be quite different from person to person. Most people suffer from pain in the gastrointestinal tract, gas, bloating, constipation, and/or diarrhea. Some people have just constipation or just diarrhea and others have alternating bouts of both. Suffering from IBS in The Woodlands and Conroe, TX, area? Call us today.
IBS affects twice as many women as men. People under 50 are also more likely to get the disease than those over 50. If you have a family history of the disease, your chances of getting it increases. Getting a severe digestive tract infection will increase your chance of developing an irritable bowel.
Those who suffer from IBS tend to suffer from a variety of other disorders including:
Exactly what causes IBS is not definitively known, but it may be a response to a stressful situation, an immune system that is not working correctly, a response to an infection, or a reaction to something you eat or drink.
Treatments include:
Contact Dr. Memon of Greater Houston Gastroenterology with your IBS questions in the Woodlands and Conroe, TX, areas. Call the Woodlands, TX, office at 281-783-6459 and 281-764-9500 for the Conroe, TX, office.