Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a long term gastrointestinal condition thought to affect 1 in 5 people at some point in their lives [1] that is most common in women aged 20-30. The exact cause of IBS is unknown, mainly because the problem is a functional disorder and there are no obvious problems in the macroscopic or microscopic structure of the gut [2]. However, some theories that attempt to explain the symptoms include [3, 4, 5]:
• An increase in serotonin levels or disrupted signals from the brain causes food to move more slowly through the gut.
• Increased sensitivity to pain in the gut.
• Inflammation of the bowel caused by infection.
• IBS may be caused by genetic factors (it may be inherited). The symptoms …show more content…
There is no cure but the symptoms can be managed to an extent by various changes in lifestyle and the use of drugs. Doctors often advise an increase in fibre intake, although there is no clinical evidence to show that this is effective and a study published on “The BMJ” suggested that insoluble fibre such as bran can make the condition worse [8]. Foods such as coffee, chocolate and artificial sweeteners may be excluded from the diet, but the effects this has varies from person to person. Also, changes in lifestyle such as doing more exercise and decreasing stress levels are thought to relieve the symptoms. Some of the drugs used to relieve the symptoms of IBS include …show more content…
A placebo is a form of treatment with no active ingredient (such as a sugar pill or sham procedure), however it has been proven in many clinical trials that they have a positive effect on many diseases and disorders. Some studies show that placebos are effective, on average 30-40% of the time [12] and they have even been known to cure cancer, proving that they have a physical effect, rather than just a psychological one [12, 13]. This is called the placebo effect and despite the amount of research that has gone into it, the psychology and physiology behind it is very poorly understood. Some scientists believe that it is mere coincidence that symptoms diminish after taking placebos or that the expectation of getting better changes the patient’s interpretation of their symptoms [14], however the evidence surrounding the placebo suggests that taking a placebo is associated with physical changes. One of many explanations for this is as follows [15]: pain associated with an illness or disorder such as IBS exists to encourage us to rest and aid recovery. However, this pain becomes less necessary if it is more likely that you will recover soon. A placebo, if disguised as a genuine treatment, increases a person’s expectation that that they will recover soon, thus decreasing the intensity of