How Does IBS Start 3 | Irritable Bowel Syndrome

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In the last two posts I wrote about some of the recognized onset events for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Those included genetics, gender, infection and inflammation, and environment. The remaining two factors include bacterial overgrowth, and abuse.

Bacterial overgrowth

The part that bacterial overgrowth plays in the development of irritable bowel syndrome is contentious.

A research project conducted several years ago reported that the eradication of bacterial overgrowth completely eliminated the symptoms of IBS in 48% of the study participants. Subsequent analysis of the study itself found that this uncontrolled study had several flaws. First, there was a significant patient drop out rate. Second, there were several different antibiotics used and the dosages were not controlled. And third, the short follow-up period of only 7 to 10 days.

Another study, this one randomized, double-placebo, and placebo-controlled, found that patients with IBS were more likely than people without IBS to have an abnormal lactulose breath test and they were more likely to report an improvement in their IBS symptoms if their small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) was eradicated.

However, two other large studies of patient records did not determine that there was any link between the prevalence of SIBO to IBS symptoms. It is generally accepted that bacterial overgrowth has a significant role in the severity of IBS symptoms.

Abuse

There have been quite a few studies which have shown that there is a higher prevalence of abuse in patients with IBS than with other diseases. Physicians have been urged to bring up the subject of abuse with IBS patients to determine if there is any history of it. If a history of abuse is identified it is important that the patient is referred to professional who has experience in dealing with this issue.

Regardless of how the condition started, most people who have been newly diagnosed with IBS are concerned with learning what it is and how to treat it. More in my next post.

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