Tonight my guest was Dr Zia Mazhar; a gastroenterologist at Spire Hartswood Hospital. She was discussing, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and IBD
( Inflammatory Bowel Disease).
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common, long-term condition of the digestive system. It can cause bouts of stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and/or constipation.
The symptoms vary between individuals and affect some people more severely than others. They tend to come and go in periods lasting a few days to a few months at a time, often during times of stress or after eating certain foods.
IBS is thought to affect up to one in five people at some point in their life, and it usually first develops when a person is between 20 and 30 years of age. Around twice as many women are affected as men.
IBD is also a condition of the digestive system but as its name suggests is inflammatory rather than how quickly or slowly your digestive system works.Symptoms include:
- pain, swelling or cramping in the tummy
- recurring or bloody diarrhoea
- weight loss
- extreme tiredness
Not everyone has all of these symptoms, and some people may experience additional symptoms, including vomiting, anaemia and high temperature (fever).
The symptoms of IBD can come and go. People may experience periods of severe symptoms (flare-ups), and go through long periods when they have few or no symptoms at all (remission).
If you have any reason to suspect you may be suffering with either of these conditions do contact your GP or you can call Spire Hartswood for a private consultation on 01277266761.
