Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Specialist

This information is intended only to provide general guidance. It does not provide definitive medical advice. It is important that you consult your doctor about your specific condition.

What is irritable bowel syndrome?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a condition where your intestine doesn’t function normally. You may experience a variety of symptoms, including:

• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Mucus in your stool
• Abdominal pain and cramping

These symptoms usually must last for several months or longer, even if you don’t have symptoms every day, to indicate IBS. There are several subtypes of IBS based on the consistency of your stool, including constipation-predominant IBS or diarrhea-predominant IBS. You can also have mixed IBS, where you experience both frequent constipation and diarrhea.

What causes irritable bowel syndrome?

IBS can be the result of physical, psychological, or dietary issues that ultimately affect your gastrointestinal system. Food sensitivities, stress, infections, and genetics can all play a part in your development of irritable bowel syndrome.

The condition is more common in women, and symptoms often begin before you turn 30.

Dr. Harary can determine if you have irritable bowel syndrome by assessing your overall health and medical history, as well as your current symptoms. He also reviews your current eating habits to rule out possible food allergies or other underlying medical condition.

How is irritable bowel syndrome diagnosed?

Dr. Harary will discuss your medical history and perform a physical examination.

He will ask questions about the exact location, timing, and frequency of your pain and bowel movements, any other symptoms you have, family history of digestive symptoms, recent infections, medications, and triggering or associated events. You should be prepared to answer these questions when you see Dr. Harary.

In order to diagnose IBS, symptoms must be present for at least several months and occur three times per month.

Further testing such as blood work, stool tests, breath tests, X-rays, ultrasounds, or a colonoscopy may be necessary to rule out other conditions that mimic IBS.

What treatment options are available for irritable bowel syndrome?

Dr Harary may initially treat IBS symptoms with changes to your diet, recommending you avoid foods that can worsen your symptoms such as:

• Dairy
• Beans
• Wheat
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Cabbage
• Artificial sweeteners

To identify which foods cause IBS flare-ups, Dr. Harary may suggest an elimination diet, where you decrease one or more of the trigger foods from your diet at a time.

If you suffer from chronic constipation, Dr. Harary may recommend eating more foods high in fiber, such as apples, plums, peaches, pears, beans, and high-fiber cereals.

When dietary changes aren’t enough to manage your IBS symptoms, Dr. Harary may recommend medications, such as laxatives or antidiarrheals. He may also suggest adding probiotic supplements to your diet to introduce healthy bacteria into your gut and reduce IBS symptoms.

In some cases, Dr. Harary may refer you for psychological therapies to reduce your stress level and help you better manage IBS symptoms. Therapies may include hypnosis, relaxation techniques, or cognitive behavioral therapies.

You should also incorporate daily exercise into your routine and make sure you are getting enough sleep each night.

To learn more about managing the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, schedule an appointment online or by calling Dr. Haray’s office today.

For more details on IBS, click here.