SUNYAB Title
How do Diet and Stress Affect IBS?
 
IBS symptoms are believed to involve deficient pain control mechanisms in the nervous system as well as altered muscle contractions of the digestive tract. Muscle contractions help water and waste pass through the system, and facilitate breakdown and absorption of the food we eat. Too much muscle activity can result in painful muscle spasms and diarrhea; too little in bloating, constipation or abnormally hard stool. There are a number of factors that can cause muscle contractions to overreact. For some IBS sufferers, symptoms occur following a meal or after they eat certain foods such as caffeine, alcohol, beans, or spicy or fatty foods. Stress can also stimulate muscle contractions of the intestines as well as modify the signals between the brain and the gut that regulate pain. Stress and tension affect bowel function in nearly everyone but the effect is greater in people with IBS. Because IBS is a real medical condition, stress does not cause IBS, but it can aggravate symptoms.