Guidelines for irritable bowel syndrome | Irritable bowel syndrome

Guidelines for irritable bowel syndrome

Special guidelines for irritable bowel syndrome have been developed to support decision-making on health-related matters. They serve as a helpful guide for treatment. The S3 guidelines for irritable bowel syndrome are currently being revised.

According to the 2009 guideline, the disease is diagnosed when three main criteria are met: The physician-patient relationship is fundamental to the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. It serves, among other things, to thoroughly and sensitively uncover the pathophysiological mechanism of the disease, which can be based on a complex system of different causes. Besides symptomatic treatment with medication, nutrition plays an important role.

However, no general recommendations can be made, as each clinical picture shows different strong symptoms.

• The interval between symptoms is more than three months and is associated with the bowel
• The affected person feels restricted in his quality of life and
• Other diseases can be excluded with a high degree of certainty. On average, women are more frequently affected.

Irritable bowel syndrome subjectively causes severe symptoms, but even in chronic cases it does not cause any tangible physical damage.

Unfortunately, irritable bowel syndrome cannot be prevented directly, at least not according to the current state of knowledge. However, not only with regard to the development of an irritable bowel syndrome, but also in order to prevent other common diseases (such as arteriosclerosis, obesity or diabetes mellitus type 2), it seems reasonable to pay attention to a healthy and balanced diet. This includes above all high-fiber foods, as little fat as possible and also a sufficient fluid intake, which should consist mainly of water or diluted juices. In addition, sports and various relaxation trainings also have a positive effect.

Summary

Irritable bowel syndrome is a very common disease, but it remains a mystery to most medical science. Although the symptoms, such as diarrhea, constipation, abdominal cramps or flatulence, are undeniable and sometimes so severe in sufferers that they significantly reduce their quality of life, no pathological tissue/organ changes or inflammation of the digestive tract can be detected. Accordingly, the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome is difficult and time-consuming, since any other possible diseases with organic causes must be excluded in advance.

All this results in a very limited possibility for the therapy of irritable bowel syndrome, which consequently is not characterized by the elimination of causes and thus the striving for a complete cure, but only by reducing the patient’s suffering. A positive point to note, however, is that the complaints of those affected often diminish or even disappear completely over time and that no form of irritable bowel syndrome is associated with a limited life expectancy or an increased risk of secondary diseases such as cancer.