The document defines irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as a chronic condition causing abdominal pain, bloating, and changes in bowel movements without any structural damage. IBS affects around 20% of people at some point in their lives, making it a common reason for seeing a gastroenterologist. While symptoms vary per individual and can be exacerbated by stress, IBS does not increase risks of inflammatory bowel diseases or cancer. The document concludes that homeopathy provides an effective treatment option for IBS given its psychological components.

1. Effective treatment & remedies for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Definition
The word syndrome means a group of symptoms. IBS is a syndrome because it can cause several
symptoms in addition to those mentioned, like cramping, bloating, gas, frequent urge to pass
stools, sensation of incomplete evacuation etc.
There is persistent and recurring abdominal pain associated with passing of motion, change of
bowel habit (diarrhea, constipation, or alternate diarrhea and constipation), etc. without any
apparent cause.
IBS is the disorder of function, where bowel doesn't work, as it should. If one visualizes the
bowel, it appears perfectly normal without any inflammation or other structural changes. In
people with IBS, the intestines squeeze too hard or not hard enough and cause food to move too
quickly or too slowly through the intestines.
There are many names--colitis, mucous colitis, spastic colon, spastic bowel, and functional
bowel disease, irritable colon, and nervous colon. Most of these terms are inaccurate and refers
to understanding of diseases at that particular time frame. Colitis, for instance, means
inflammation of the large intestine (colon). IBS, however, does not cause inflammation of the
bowel and should not be confused with another disorders like ulcerative colitis.
Incidence:-
Around 20% of people suffer from this condition some time during their life time. It is the single
most common reason for which people seek gastroenterologist’s opinion. The statistics state that
people miss work for IBS and related disorders more than for anything else, except colds.
IBS though affect people of all ages and both the sexes; it is more common in young people;
usually in late adolescence or early adulthood. The condition is almost two to three times
common in females as compared to males.
Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
The following are some of the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome :
Nature of illness:
Almost everything about IBS is totally dependent on the individual patient. For some, it is
mostly during times of stress or crisis, and then subsides once the stressful event has passed. The
duration of IBS is different for everybody. The symptoms come and go, being particularly severe
at some times and absent at others.
To sum up, this is a chronic relapsing condition.
Effect on people in their Daily life:-
It is more irritating, completely debilitating illness. it depends on the person and how he or she
reacts to it and treats it. IBS can, however, be very painful and can severely affect a person's
quality of life.

2. IBS and Stress
The key point is that IBS is strongly related to emotional stress and strain. Research on the
psychosocial aspects of these disorders has yielded three general observations:
1. Psychological stress exacerbates gastrointestinal symptoms.
2. Psychological disturbances amplify illness experience and adversely affect health status.
3. Having a functional GI disorder like IBS impairs the quality of one’s life.
Homeopathic treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Even though the symptoms of IBS can be very painful and debilitating in some, one should know
that this is never a life-threatening condition. Those afflicted with IBS do not have any greater
chances of developing inflammatory conditions of bowel like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative
colitis, neither do they pose any higher risk of having colon cancer. Moreover this disease cannot
be passed to other individuals like some of the infections may have chance to do so. Since it has
lot of psychology based cause, homeopathy works precisely and very effectively.
Document Source: http://www.mindheal.org
Mindheal Homeopathy is a leading homeopathic treatment center in Mumbai, India.