Irritable bowel symptoms in women Causes and Treatment

Perhaps you have already read about the subject or have even discussed it with another person, however, there are still many misconceptions and myths around this pathology, especially regarding the symptoms it produces. In addition, there are many times that we get carried away by comments without having a scientific basis, and to avoid this, we are going to analyze in depth the most common symptoms of irritable bowel in women.

What is irritable bowel?

Before getting into the symptoms of this condition, it is important to know what it consists of: irritable bowel is a disorder that chronically affects the gastrointestinal system and it is considered the second cause of work absenteeism worldwide.

A significant fact is that, although 20% of the population has ever presented symptoms of irritable bowel, only 10% of the total go to the doctor to seek a diagnosis. On the other hand, the main characteristic of people with this type of alteration is that they have a visceral hypersensitivity, which leads the intestine to respond more aggressively than normal to certain stimuli.

Women and irritable bowel

Over the years, different specialists have reached a significant conclusion about this pathology: the incidence is much higher in the female. But, despite all the advances in medicine, it has not yet been possible to arrive at the exact cause that explains this prevalence..

But this does not mean that the male sex is exempt or immune to this disease, because they can suffer from it and suffer all its symptoms, only that it affects them to a lesser extent. For this reason, it is important to spread the word that this is not an exclusively female pathology and can affect anyone..

However, the alterations that this disease can cause are different, expressing themselves through different clinical manifestations. Between the irritable bowel symptoms in women have:

• Abdominal pain: It is the main symptom and is generally located in the lower abdomen, with a character that can be sharp or oppressive and a mild or moderate intensity that does not affect the performance of daily activities, but, in other cases it may be totally limiting.
• Changes in bowel habit: This alteration can appear in the form of diarrhea or constipation and in some cases both, alternating one symptom with another.
• Tenesmus: It is about the uncomfortable feeling of "wanting to go to the bathroom" even after you have gone, because you have the perception that you did not have enough.
• Presence of mucus in stool and in some cases there may be blood.
• If bleeding in the stool is continuous and persistent, pictures of anemia.
• Unintentional weight loss.
• Excessive flatulence.

It should be noted that the symptoms of irritable bowel in women tend to be exacerbated by different stimuli, being especially strong and persistent during menstruation. In addition, it can be accompanied by other manifestations such as swelling in the lower abdomen and in the pelvic region..

Relationship of female hormones and irritable bowel

At present, no specific mechanism has been known to explain the presence of each of the symptoms in a chronic and recurrent form. From a more global point of view, the existence of variations in gastrointestinal motility has been accepted, influenced by psychological and hormonal imbalances.

A clear example of this could be when symptoms appear during menstruation after several weeks without any discomfort, which is believed to be related to progesterone, which is a female hormone that acts on the muscles of the intestines, altering peristaltic movements, thus triggering symptoms.

Can stress and anxiety make symptoms worse?

Women who see a doctor with symptoms that indicate an irritable bowel have been found to lead busy, stress-filled lives.. Anxiety can affect the gut, since it will have abundant nerve endings like the brain.

Now, when you are very stressed, these endings are stimulated from the central nervous system, causing dilation or contraction of the smooth muscle present in the intestines, thus generating the symptoms of irritable bowel in women. If there is contraction, diarrhea will occur and if there is dilation, constipation will appear.

During those difficult periods at work or at home when there is a lot of worry, it is recommended that you stay calm and consume lots of water and vegetables, since the ingestion of certain things like chocolate or coffee will help to unbalance the behavior of the gastrointestinal tract.

Depending on the age of the patient and his symptoms, specific tests will be determined in a more appropriate way to reach an accurate diagnosis. Once the disease is diagnosed, it is important that the doctor inform the patient about everything related to this pathology.

How to know if the symptoms are specific to irritable bowel?

The diagnosis of this condition plays an important role, since there are many pathologies that can produce this type of symptomatology. To determine this disease, the questioning carried out by the doctor, in addition to a thorough physical examination, is very important..

Once the examination of the patient is completed, if the doctor deems it necessary, he or she will likely indicate the performance of some supplementary tests, such as blood test, ultrasound, stool examination and endoscopy, in order to rule out any other pathology.

General recommendations

Irritable bowel symptoms in women are usually a problem that affects them at work, at home and anywhere else where they are, which is why below we will give certain recommendations to avoid or reduce these symptoms:

• Eat small meals frequently.
• Eat with a rhythm slow and relaxed.
• Exercise at least 3 times a week.
• If you suffer from constipation, increase the content of fiber at meals.
• Participate in Recreational activities and social that away stress.