Psychosomatics of IBS

Question 1

Define a psychosomatic disorder

Answer 1

They are disorders where emotional or psychological factors can impact the symptoms

Question 2

Name some examples of psychosomatic disorders

Answer 2

Asthma, atopic dermatitis, tension-type headaches, IBS

Question 3

What are functional GI disorders?

Answer 3

Disorders of gut-brain interaction

Question 4

Define Irritable bowel syndrome

Answer 4

It is a condition that causes like stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation. There is no cure, no exact cause and tends to be a life long issue

Question 5

What are the main symptoms of IBS?

Answer 5

• Stomach pain or cramps,
• Bloating,
• Diarrhoea,
• Constipation

Question 6

What are some other potential symptoms of IBS?

Answer 6

• Flatulence,
• Passing mucus,
• Fatigue,
• Nausea,
• Backache,
• Incontinence

Question 7

Describe the diagnosis criteria IBS

Answer 7

Experience recurrent abdominal pain at least 1 day/week in the last 3 months associated with two or more of the following:

• Related to defecation,
• Associated with a change in frequency of stool,
• Associated with a change in form of stool,
• A change in how you pass stool,
• Bloating, hardness or tension in abdo,
• Symptoms worse after eating,
• Passing mucus from rectum

Question 8

Describe how IBS can impact patients

Answer 8

• Can impact their work,
• Increase visits to health professionals,
• Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL),
• Psychological health

Question 9

What are some Biological (putative) causes of IBS

Answer 9

• Abnormal muscle contraction,
• Serotonin receptors,
• Infection (GI infections can lead to a greater risk of developing IBS),
• Food intolerance

Question 10

What are some psychological factors of IBS

Answer 10

• Psychological disorders, eg, depression and anxiety.
• Psychiatric disorders,
• Hyper-reactivity in the brain-gut interface
• Stressful life events

Question 11

What are some of the social causes of IBS

Answer 11

Adverse childhood experiences, social learning

Question 12

Describe the management of IBS

Answer 12

1) Diet / lifestyle changes approach (food diary and assess activity levels)
2) Drug treatment approach,
3) Psychological approaches (CBT, hypnosis and psychological therapy),
4) Complementary therapies approach

Question 13

Describe what some of the drug treatments are

Answer 13

First line; antidiarrhoeal (loperamide), laxatives and antispasmodics.

Second line - Antidepressants TCAs or SSRIs and laxatives

Question 14

What are some complementary therapies

Answer 14

Nutraceuticals, Chinese herbal medicine and probiotics