[eric]

TummmyrumblesNo Where in the above information does it say stress causes IBS!!!! IT is however WELLKNOWN stress can conttribute to Developing Post Infectious IBS.The reason is the stress system also helps to fight infections.you might want to read thisStress and Disease: New Perspectives By Harrison Wein, Ph.D.http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art...rticlekey=60918 alsoIn contrast to the common interpretation of the term "stress" as a psychological phenomenon, it should be understood as ANY real or perceived perturbation of an organism's homeostasis, or state of harmony or balance."This problem has nothing to do with stress."IBS is embedded in the central and autonomic and enteric nervous systems. I think you maybe only looking at stress as a psycological stress issue, but it is a whole lot more then that really."Underlying issues like abuse or alienation can lead to IBS"Abuse doesn't cause IBS but it can make it worse.Emotional Abuse and IBSStudy found link to severity -- but not causality By: Douglas A. Drossman, M.D., Co-Director, Center for Functional GI & Motility Disorders Center; Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill http://www.aboutibs.org/Publications/abuse.htmldepression, isolation, loneliness, helplessness, worry, anger, anxiety, distress, antispatory anxiety, negative reaction to symptomsare all forms of stressors to the organism. "This is a far cry from saying that IBSers need psychiatry. "again psychiatry in a medical setting for IBSWhy see a psychologists when the diagnoses is IBS?"many people experience distress and anxiety when their doctor makes a recomendation that they see a psychologist. This reaction often comes from the belief that a referal to a psychologist carries with it the assumptions about symptoms being "all in the head" or the result of "mental illness."These are two of the biggest MISCONCEPTIONS about the practice of psychology in a medical setting, and they often stand in the way of patients achieving a meningful reduction in symptoms. In this column, I hope to dispel some of these misconceptions around psycology in a medical setting, and in doing so communicatee a few of the benefits you might be able to achieve in working with a psycologists to address your IBS symptoms."http://www.med.unc.edu/wrkunits/2depts/med...gidc/digest.htm"There needs to be a totally honest appraisal of issues like diet, lifestyle and self-discipline."I agree with this very muchI would add IBS education and a good doctor who takes time,listens and works with the patient.

 

[eric]

Evaluation of Visceral Sensation in IBS Patients Using Subliminal Stimulation"From Medscape GastroenterologyLiterature Review -- Select Topics in IBS and Chronic ConstipationLatest From the Literature in IBS and Chronic Constipation: September 2006Posted 09/07/2006Brian E. Lacy, MD, PhD IntroductionIn this second installment in our quarterly literature review series on topical issues in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic constipation, 3 original research studies are reviewed. These reports describe new information regarding the pathophysiology of IBS, the role of alternative therapies in the treatment of IBS, and the treatment of constipation.""Lawal A, Kern M, Sidhu H, Hofmann C, Shaker R. Novel evidence for hypersensitivity of visceral sensory neural circuitry in irritable bowel syndrome patients. Gastroenterology. 2006;130:26-33.The pathophysiology of IBS involves multiple underlying factors, including abnormalities in visceral sensation, disturbances in gut motility, and differences in the central nervous system (CNS) processing of visceral pain.[1] Many investigators now believe that visceral hypersensitivity is the most important pathophysiologic abnormality in IBS patients. The mechanism that leads to visceral hypersensitivity in patients with IBS is unknown, although current theories postulate the presence of abnormal sensory receptors and sensory afferents, deficient descending modulating factors, and a hypervigilant CNS. This latter component has been demonstrated in studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography scans.[2,3] The end result is that IBS patients sense abdominal discomfort at lower levels than normal individuals and often misinterpret normal sensations as painful (allodynia).[4] This has been demonstrated in a number of studies that typically involve distending the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract with a balloon.[5] One concern is that these studies may be influenced by cognitive processes associated with perceived sensory stimulation. Stated another way, anticipation of a possibly unpleasant sensation (balloon distention of the rectum) may alter cortical activity and thus change fMRI findings. Lawal and colleagues[6] addressed this potentially confounding factor by evaluating visceral sensation in IBS patients using subliminal stimulation.""This well-designed, novel study is the first to show that very low levels of distention in the gastrointestinal tract, without any related cognitive processes typically associated with perceived distention, lead to increased CNS activity in IBS patients compared with healthy volunteers. In addition, patients with IBS demonstrated a maximum response to subliminal distention, as compared with the graded response seen in healthy volunteers. These findings are important for a number of reasons. One, it confirms the now widely accepted view that the brain-gut axis is a critical component in IBS. Two, it emphasizes that hypersensitivity is a key underlying pathophysiologic mechanism in the generation of symptoms in IBS patients. And finally, although not evaluated in this study, these findings point out that therapeutic options for patients with IBS should focus on treating both the hypersensitive gut and the hypersensitive CNS."http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/544018_2