Condition Lookup
Sub-Category:
Functional Disorders
Number of Conditions: 2
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Specialty: Gastrointestinal
Category: Large Intestine (Colon) Disorders
Sub-category: Functional Disorders
Symptoms:
abdominal pain or cramping; bloating; gas; diarrhea; constipation; alternating diarrhea and constipation; mucus in stool
Root Cause:
Disruption in the normal function of the gut-brain axis leading to hypersensitivity of the intestines and abnormal motility patterns.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical history and symptom-based criteria (e.g., Rome IV criteria), exclusion of other conditions through blood tests, stool tests, and sometimes colonoscopy.
Treatment:
Dietary changes (e.g., low-FODMAP diet), stress management, physical activity, and symptom-specific therapies.
Medications:
Antispasmodics (e.g., dicyclomine ), fiber supplements, laxatives for constipation, loperamide for diarrhea, and antidepressants (e.g., tricyclic antidepressants or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) for managing pain and hypersensitivity.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects approximately 10-15% of the global population, with a higher prevalence in women and young to middle-aged adults.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history, stress, anxiety, depression, history of gastrointestinal infections, and food intolerances.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Chronic condition with varying severity; manageable with lifestyle modifications and treatment, but symptoms may persist intermittently.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Impacts quality of life, increased risk of depression and anxiety, and potential overlap with other functional disorders such as fibromyalgia.
Chronic Constipation
Specialty: Gastrointestinal
Category: Large Intestine (Colon) Disorders
Sub-category: Functional Disorders
Symptoms:
infrequent bowel movements (fewer than three per week); hard or lumpy stools; difficulty passing stools; straining during bowel movements; feeling of incomplete evacuation; abdominal discomfort
Root Cause:
Slowed colonic transit or dysfunction of the pelvic floor muscles leading to difficulty in stool passage.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical history, physical examination, stool tests, colonoscopy (to rule out structural causes), and specialized tests like anorectal manometry or colonic transit studies.
Treatment:
Increased dietary fiber intake, adequate hydration, regular exercise, and behavioral therapy (biofeedback for pelvic floor dysfunction).
Medications:
Bulk-forming laxatives (e.g., psyllium), stool softeners (e.g., docusate), osmotic laxatives (e.g., polyethylene glycol), stimulant laxatives (e.g., bisacodyl ), and prokinetic agents (e.g., prucalopride for severe cases).
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects approximately 15-20% of the population, with higher prevalence in older adults and women.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Low dietary fiber intake, sedentary lifestyle, dehydration, pregnancy, aging, and use of certain medications (e.g., opioids, anticholinergics).
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Manageable with lifestyle and medical interventions; chronic cases may require ongoing management.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Hemorrhoids, anal fissures, fecal impaction, and rectal prolapse.