Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder characterized by multiple symptoms including abdominal pain or discomfort, cramping, constipation, diarrhea and bloating.
You Are Not Alone
If you experience two or more of these symptoms, you may be one of 40 million Americans suffering from IBS. Up to 70% of people with IBS suffer in silence. The unpleasant symptoms are often embarrassing to patients who are reluctant to ask their doctors for help. Left untreated, IBS can affect every aspect of life -- from work and travel to recreational activities and relationships with family and friends. Those who seek help are often told to “just learn to live with it.” Others can wait years after onset of symptoms before receiving treatment. To make matters worse, treatments often fall short of relieving symptoms, dashing the hopes of escaping its day-to-day burden. It’s not surprising that IBS affects quality of life as much or more than other common diseases such as congestive heart failure or diabetes.
A Real Medical Problem
The nature of IBS symptoms makes diagnosis difficult. Symptoms often mimic other diseases, requiring that patients undergo extensive testing. While many diagnostic tests are useful in evaluating specific GI diseases, it may not be necessary to undergo all of them to establish a definitive diagnosis. A correct diagnosis involves recognizing the clinical symptoms of IBS. For some it may be persistent abdominal pain that is relieved by a bowel movement. Others may notice a change in frequency of bowel movement or how the form of the stool at onset of pain.
UB’s Breakthrough IBS Research
Many with IBS are surprised to learn that there are proven clinical treatments for all types of IBS. Because there is no simple cure – and symptoms may come and go – learning to manage symptoms is important. Effective treatment involves controlling and reducing symptoms before they get out of hand. High quality research shows that even the most severe patients can reduce IBS symptoms.
Some of the most promising IBS work is led by researchers at the Behavioral Medicine Clinic (BMC) in the Department of Medicine at UB School of Medicine. The BMC has received ongoing support from the National Institutes of Health since 1999 to develop and test non-drug treatments that help patients reduce and control GI symptoms unresponsive to medications or diet changes. By teaching patients to make targeted changes to behavior that aggravate symptoms, these behavioral treatments work much the same way that patients with hypertension learn to lower their blood pressure or patients with diabetes learn to control insulin levels. These treatments appear to be as effective as dietary options or medications – without side effects.
In a recently published study, UB researchers found 75% of IBS patients reported significant improvement in symptoms at the end of treatment, including improved quality of life, increased control over symptoms, and peace of mind. Remarkably, half of the patients achieved enduring benefits after only four clinic visits. The clinical benefits of the behavioral treatments developed at UB were detailed in the New England Journal of Medicine, which identified the program as one of the few evidence-based treatments available for IBS patients.
WNY Resource:
If you have frequent abdominal pain, discomfort, diarrhea and/or, constipation and are seeking relief, call 716-898-4458 or e-mail ibsos@buffalo.edu. Watch a UB video and learn more at YouTube by entering the keyword IBSOS in the search bar. Treatment is provided at no cost to eligible participants.
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