IBS Answers at your fingertips

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is often dismissed as a trivial complaint blown out of proportion by neurotic hypochondriacs. The reality is very different. It is an extremely common and distressing problem affecting up to 20% of the population at any one time. The symptoms include bloating, wind, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and constipation, and the condition can vary in severity. If you suffer from IBS , this book will answer the questions that you were too embarrassed to ask. Based on his long experience as a consultant gastroenterologist. Dr Shmueli provides detailed guidance on all aspects of the condition, answering over 430 questions from people with IBS. IBS: Answers at your Fingertips gives you: *Comprehensive answers to all your questions about IBS: its causes, symptoms and treatment *Self-help techniques that really work *Guidance on identifying other illnesses and disorders that could cause abdominal pain, plus a section explaining relevant medical tests and investigations *The latest reseach on food allergy and intolerance *Advice on complementary therapies, including herbal medicine, acupuncture and hypnotherapy Questions include: How common is IBS? *Is IBS predominantly a disease of Western developed countries? *Is IBS associated with indigestion? *Do probiotics help? *What increases the pain signal from the gut? *What do doctors need to know about the nature of the pain to make a diagnosis? *If the tests are normal will the doctor think I have wasted his time? *Where does all the gas in the bowel come from? *Is bloating real? *Which foods are most likely to make gas problems and bloating worse? *Is there any right number of times to open my bowels each day? *What causes constipation? *I've had diarrhoea for almost a month now. What could be causing it? *Who gets coeliac disease? *What is worse for long-term health - constipation or diarrhoea? *Why are doctors sceptical about dietary interventions for IBS? *Which foods are most commonly involved in food allergy?