IBS Treatment in Indore

What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is one of the most common reasons people see a gastroenterologist. It’s a long term disorder of how the gut functions. On scans and endoscopy the intestines look normal and blood tests are usually normal but the bowel does not function normally. The symptoms are recurrent abdominal pain, bloating and altered bowel habit which may be from loose to hard stools.

IBS is a functional disorder, which means that the problem lies with how the gut moves and senses things, not with any visible damage. It does not cause bowel cancer, develop into inflammatory bowel disease or shorten life. But it can at the same time seriously affect comfort, confidence, work and travel and it deserves proper care rather than being brushed aside.

Dr. Kriti Bansal, a gasteroenterologist doctor in Indore who treats IBS, helps patients get a clear diagnosis, rule out other similar looking illnesses, and develop a routine that keeps symptoms manageable long term. Begins IBS treatment with a detailed history rather than a lengthy battery of tests.

Types of IBS

Doctors divide IBS by the stool pattern that most bothers the patient, as treatment differs for each type.

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Diarrhea (IBS-D): Loose, urgent stools predominate, often soon after meals or in the morning.
• IBS with constipation (IBS-C): Abdominal discomfort is associated with hard, lumpy stools, straining and infrequent bowel movements.
• IBS-M (Mixed IBS): A mix of loose and hard stools, sometimes even within the same week or day.
• Unclassified IBS: Symptoms clearly fit IBS but do not fit the other patterns.
  The treatment plan is regularly reviewed because a person’s type can change over time.

Symptoms of IBS

IBS is characterized by abdominal pain in association with stool passage. Other features vary a lot from person to person.

• Abdominal cramps: Usually in the lower abdomen and relieved, at least in part, by a bowel movement.
• Bloating and distension: feeling tight and swollen in the abdomen, often worse at nite and after eating.
• Change in bowel habits: The stool can be loose, hard or alternating. Frequency can increase or decrease.
• Excess gas: Patients often complain of belching, flatulence and rumbling.
• Incomplete emptying: You feel that there is more stool left after you have opened your bowels.
• Mucus in stool: Expect clear or whitish mucus, but no blood.
• Related complaints: IBS sufferers are more likely to suffer from more fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, back pain, frequent urination and heartburn.

Symptoms are often episodic, and often flare during stressful periods, travel, hormonal changes or after certain foods.

Reasons for IBs

It’s not just one thing. And researchers think a number of things come together in a person who is naturally sensitive in the gut.

• Gut-brain interaction: The brain and bowel talk to each other through nerves and chemical messengers. In IBS this communication goes awry, so normal gut activity is perceived as pain or discomfort.
• Visceral hypersensitivity: The nerves in the bowel wall are very sensitive to stretch and gas that would go unnoticed by most people.
• Changes in the way your bowel moves: food may pass through too fast and cause diarrhea or too slow and cause constipation.
• Post-infectious changes: Many cases begin after an episode of gastroenteritis, and the gut stays irritable afterward.
• Gut microbiome: An imbalance in gut bacteria can lead to gas, bloating, and changes in motility.
• Psychological factors: Anxiety, depression and chronic stress don’t cause IBS in and of themselves, but they can make it worse.
• Food triggers: Certain carbohydrates called FODMAPs, as well as caffeine, fatty and spicy foods and fizzy drinks can cause symptoms.

Warning Signs That Are Not Typical of IBS

IBS shares characteristics with other conditions, so doctors watch for red flags. They include blood in your stool, black stool, unexplained weight loss, fever, symptoms that wake you up at nite, persistent vomiting, anemia, difficulty swallowing, a lump in the abdomen, onset after the age of 50 and a family history of colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease or celiac disease. If any of these are present, further tests such as colonoscopy are needed before a diagnosis of IBS can be made.

How IBS Is Diagnosed

Diagnosis of IBS is mainly based on symptoms by using internationally accepted criteria, the Rome criteria. The doctor takes a complete history of the pain, the pattern of the stools, the diet, the stress, the drugs and previous illnesses and examines the abdomen.

Usually only a few tests are done to rule out other causes. These may include a blood count, inflammatory markers, thyroid function, celiac antibodies and a stool calprotectin test which helps to differentiate IBD from IBS. If you suspect lactose intolerance or a bacterial overgrowth, breath tests can be done. Colonoscopy is recommended in patients presenting with red-flag features, aged more than 45 to 50 years or when symptoms are not typical.

Getting a clear diagnosis often is relief in itself, because a lot of patients live with the worry that some serious disease is lurking without knowing it, for years. Visiting an irritable bowel syndrome specialist in Indore, the doctor will not miss other diseases having similar symptoms.

Treatment of IBS

There is no one medicine that fixes IBS for all. The treatment is built step by step, combining diet, habits, medicines and attention to stress. Therefore, the treatment for irritable bowel syndrome depends upon the symptom pattern of each individual.

• Dietary approach: Keeping a food and symptom diary for two to three weeks helps to identify your personal triggers. The foundation is regular meals, eating more slowly, adequate water and limiting caffeine, alcohol and carbonated drinks. Many patients experience clinically significant symptom improvement with a supervised low-FODMAP diet. It involves cutting out high FODMAP foods like onion, garlic, large quantities of wheat, some fruits and legumes for a few weeks and then reintroducing them one group at a time to learn what is tolerated. It is not to be followed rigidly forever.
• Fiber and bowel control: Soluble fiber like isabgol (psyllium) helps both constipation and loose motions when introduced slowly. What matters is the type of fiber, because insoluble fiber such as wheat bran can sometimes make bloating worse.
• Medicines: Antispasmodics relieve cramping and pain. Some patients find peppermint oil capsules helpful. Loperamide can treat diarrhoea-predominant symptoms and osmotic laxatives or certain prescription medicines may be helpful for constipation-predominant IBS. Low doses of certain antidepressants that act on the nerves of the gut, not just mood, are helpful for chronic pain. Selected patients with diarrhea and bloating may be treated with rifaximin, a gut-acting antibiotic. “It’s about what’s right for the type of IBS and how you respond.
• Mind & body therapies: Because the gut and brain are so closely connected, relaxation training, mindfulness, yoga, regular physical activity, cognitive behavioral therapy and gut-directed hypnotherapy have been shown to be helpful. Good sleep hygiene helps.

Living Well With IBS

IBS is a managed condition, not just switched off, and most patients do well once they find a pattern that suits them. Thirty minutes walking every day, eating at regular times, planning meals when traveling and not going long periods without food all help to make the gut more regular. Recording what was helpful and not helpful at follow-up visits is helpful.
Flare-ups are normal and do not mean that the treatment has not worked. Patients need to know what to do at home and when to call the doctor. It is also beneficial to share the diagnosis with family, because the understanding of those around you lowers stress, which in turn reduces symptoms.

IBS and Other Conditions That Look Similar

Many conditions share similar symptoms with IBS, so it’s important to do a careful assessment. Celiac disease can cause bloating, loose stools, and stomach pain and is diagnosed with a simple blood test. Dairy products cause gas, cramping and diarrhea due to lactose intolerance. Similar pain and loose stools can be caused by inflammatory bowel disease but it is usually associated with blood, weight loss, anemia or raised inflammatory markers. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth can cause extreme bloating after meals.

In women, lower abdominal pain can be caused by endometriosis and ovarian conditions, and chronic constipation caused by a pelvic floor problem, where the muscles don’t relax properly when you defecate, can mimic IBS-C. Thyroid disorders, diabetes and some medicines, including iron tablets, calcium supplements and some blood pressure medicines can also affect bowel habits. “Treating the right condition means sorting these out.

The Role of Stress, Sleep and Daily Routine

Many patients say their symptoms are related to their mood. A busy week at work, exams, family worries or travel can trigger a flare up within a day or two. This doesn’t mean the symptoms are imaginary. Stress hormones directly alter gut motility and sensitivity, so the discomfort is real and physical.

Poor sleep, missed meals, long gaps between meals and very late dinners can often stress a sensitive gut. Regular meal and sleep times, avoiding screens during meals, walking after meals and setting aside time for relaxation may decrease the frequency and intensity of attacks. For patients with high anxiety, talking to a counselor or psychologist with medical treatment is more effective than just medicines.

IBS in Women and Young People

Women are more likely to be diagnosed with IBS, and their symptoms often vary with the menstrual cycle, experiencing more cramping, bloating or loose stools around their periods. Pregnancy can alter the symptoms in either direction and the medicines need to be chosen carefully. “Flares related to irregular meals, energy drinks, late nites and the pressure of exams or deadlines are common among young adults, especially students and working professionals. Knowing these patterns can help patients plan ahead and make adjustments before a flare occurs.

Follow Up and Long Term Surveillance

Once the initial plan is underway, a review is often scheduled in 4 to 8 weeks to see how symptoms, stool pattern and daily functioning have responded. The doctor can modify the dose of medicines, alter the diet approach or include behavioral therapy. When the symptoms improve, the visits can be spaced out and patients should be told to come back if they develop new red flags such as bleeding, weight loss, or symptoms at night.

Why Choose Dr. Kriti Bansal?

Dr Kriti Bansal gives IBS the time it deserves. A thorough history, prudent decision making about which tests are worth doing, and reassurance based on the results help patients stop worrying about a hidden disease.

Rather than giving a long list of restrictions, she works with each individual to decide which foods and habits are most important, keeping the plan practical and sustainable for day-to-day living. There is no point in repeating tests. Follow-up visits are to adjust medicines and diet.

If you are a patient searching for IBS doctor in Indore, you can expect to get a plan that is tailored to your own pattern of symptoms and that takes into account not just the gut but also things like sleep and stress that can affect the gut.

Appointment for Consultation

Phone: +91-7610102710
E-mail: drkritigastro@gmail. com