Seniors Site

Age and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is mostly associated with younger adults than in the seniors’ group. It is a digestive condition that is not at all fatal but absolutely stressful for the sufferer. Also, Irritable Bowel Movement or IBM cannot, in any way, lead to any serious disease of the colon or even the digestive track for that matter. IBM can be controlled by diet and medication but you have to submit yourself to strict monitoring by your health care provider for them to be able to pinpoint the exact cause which triggers the condition.
This condition has many symptoms that can be associated with it; it can be abdominal cramping, bloating, constipation or diarrhea. Other times, it can be as inconspicuous as backache and chest pains. Serious manifestations of IBM can disable a sufferer but these serious cases are very rare. This digestive condition is considered by doctors as common and manageable. However, for seniors, IBM can go unnoticed therefore subjecting seniors to unnecessary aches and discomforts, even getting diagnoses and medications that are not at all related to IBM.
There is no specific cause for Irritable Bowel Syndrome discovered yet.  Some researchers say that it is the movement or non-movement of the colon, while others claim that it is the person’s digestive sensitivity to some types of food such as gluten or alcohol. Irritable Bowel Syndrome is pretty much the same no matter the age you are in. Lucky are those who belong in younger generations since they don’t have any other diseases interfering with their IBM diagnosis. Seniors, on the other hand, have the tendency to experience the exact same symptoms from entirely different illnesses, making it very hard for their doctors to make the right diagnosis. My advice is, if you suspect that you are suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, have your doctor look at your symptoms closely and insist on tests before dismissing the condition all together. It is also important to take note of your own digestive responses such as your bowel movement and abdominal pains– when and how are you getting them. This way, it will be easier to convince your doctor that indeed it is an IBS. Also, take into consideration that IBS is never age-related. It is not something you just develop later in life. Chances are, you have had bouts of them during your younger years, only you don’t give it too much attention back then. Also, when it attacks, it usually takes months—3 consecutive months, the least—to clear up.