IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME
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Irritable Bowel Syndrome is the name people use today for a
condition that was once called--among other things--colitis, mucous
colitis, spastic colon, nervous colon, spastic bowel, and functional
bowel disorder. Some of these names reflected the now outdated
belief that Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a purely psychological disorder, a product of the
patient's imagination. Although modern medicine recognizes that
stress can trigger Irritable Bowel Syndrome attacks, medical specialists agree that Irritable Bowel Syndrome
is a genuine physical disorder--or group of disorders--with specific
identifiable characteristics.
No one knows for sure how many Americans suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Surveys
indicate a range of 10-20%, with perhaps as many as 30% of Americans
experiencing Irritable Bowel Syndrome at some point in their lives. Irritable Bowel Syndrome normally makes
its first appearance during young adulthood, and in half of all
cases symptoms begin before age 35. Women with Irritable Bowel Syndrome outnumber men by
two to one, for reasons that are not yet understood. Irritable Bowel Syndrome is
responsible for more time lost from work and school than any medical
problem other than the common cold. It accounts for a substantial
proportion of the patients seen by specialists in diseases of the
digestive system (gastroenterologists). Yet only half--possibly as
few as 15%--of Irritable Bowel Syndrome sufferers ever consult a doctor. |
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| IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME RELATED ITEMS |
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