IBS is Real

Irritable Bowel, or IBS, is characterized by constipation or diahrrea, often associated with cramps; as well as being associated with certain foods.

Physicians often prescribe anti-spasmotic drugs. The diagnosis is most often one of exclusion; where we rule out all other causes. But many in the medical community believe this is a psychological and not physical disease.

However, in a recent study, researchers found that, in patients with IBS, certain foods induced microscopic changes in the wall of te intestine, with increased permeability (leakiness) and migration of inflammatory cells.

We can expect this confocal laser endomicroscopy technique to become more common and help establish which foods IBS patients are actually sensitive to. This may also be useful in gluten intolerance (as compared with real antibody induced celiac disease).