Making sense of IBS: a physician answers your questions about irritable bowel syndrome

Description

IBS affects almost one in six Americans and is characterized by abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea and constipation. Today physicians are better able to diagnose this complex disorder, understand and explain its origins, and develop a treatment plan that effectively meets the individual needs of a patient. Since publication of the first edition of Making Sense of IBS, diagnosis and treatment of irritable bowel syndrome have changed significantly. Drawing on his many years of experience treating people who have symptoms of IBS, Dr. Brian E. Lacy has greatly expanded the first edition, adding new topics and the latest findings on tests, medications, alternative treatments, dietary factors, and lifestyle. Dr. Lacy explains normal digestion, the causes of IBS, how IBS is diagnosed, and what to expect with treatment. He also explores special topics such as IBS in children and psychological, hypnotherapeutic, and psychiatric therapies. Important new information... PrefaceAcknowledgmentsList of AbbreviationsPart I: Irritable Bowel Syndrome: The Basics1. Overview of IBS2. What Is IBS?3. Why Do I Have IBS?4. How Common Is IBS?5. What Is My Prognosis?6. The Anatomy of DigestionPart II: Diagnosing Irritable Bowel Syndrome7. How Is IBS Diagnosed?8. Diagnostic Tests and What They Mean9. IBS and Other Medical Disorders10. IBS and Diet11. IBS and Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)12. IBS versus IBDPart III: Treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome13. Treatment Basics14. Lifestyle Modifications15. Diet Modifications16. Treatment Options for IBS with Constipation17. Treatment Options for IBS with Diarrhea18. Medications for Abdominal Pain Associated with IBS19. Treatments for Gas and Bloating20. Probiotics and Antibiotics: Frequently Asked Questions21. Complementary and Alternative Medicine22. Psychological, Hypnotherapeutic, and PsychiatricTherapies23. The Ingredients of an Effective Doctor's AppointmentPart IV: Other Issues24. IBS and Children25. What Does the Future Hold?Appendix: About Clinical Trials and Scientific ResearchPatient ResourcesGlossaryReferencesIndex