What disorders affect the bowel and gastrointestinal system?

There are several reasons why bowel movements may be infrequent, painful, difficult to pass or incomplete. You may have diarrhea/constipation combinations or gas and bowel leakage. Disorders that cause these complications include constipation, anismus (the failure of pelvic floor muscles to relax with defecation), pelvic floor dyssynergia (uncoordinated contraction of the pelvic floor muscles), fecal incontinence (bowel leakage) or pelvic muscle tension syndromes. One or a combination of these conditions affect men and women of all ages. Although many patients are loathe to deal with these problems, treatment usually yields good results by helping them achieve optimum health and relieving pain.

What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a complex disorder of the lower intestinal tract mainly characterized by symptoms that are often affected by emotional stress. It is sometimes referred to by other names such as spastic colon or functional colitis. The patient can become hypersensitive to pain in the abdominal area and experience altered bowel habits resulting in diarrhea, constipation or both. IBS symptoms may also include bloating, tenderness as well as nausea, loss of appetite and emotional distress or depression. Although this condition can start at any age, it is most likely to occur in early adulthood and affects women more often than men. The International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders reports that IBS affects about 10–20% of the general population and is one of the most common disorders seen by primary care physicians. Unfortunately many sufferers are unlikely to seek treatment (for more information: www.aboutibs.org).

What types of therapy help IBS?

According to Dr. Katie Ellard, author of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, “The trick is in matching the appropriate therapy to the particular patient. Sometimes trial and error is the only way to discover what will help you. There are a number of different IBS treatments available, partly because IBS takes a number of different forms.” Depending on the condition, we might suggest dietary and lifestyle changes to work in conjunction with medications prescribed by your doctor. Some patients also respond to less conventional therapies such as hypnosis, biofeedback or acupuncture.

Can chronic constipation be alleviated?

Constipation is not a subject that people like to bring up but it is one of the most common complaints doctors and physical therapists hear about. While everyone experiences at least one sign of acute constipation from time to time, such as infrequent bowel movements or difficulty passing stools, some people are plagued by chronic irregularity. Women are twice as likely to have this condition than men, and the problem gets more serious with age. Constipation is triggered by certain conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease, MS and pregnancy but more often it is exacerbated by lifestyle. Suggestions may include diet modifications, sometimes as simple as drinking more water, exercise programs and bowel techniques.

How do the pelvic floor muscles come into play?

People who are constipated tend to strain when they go to the bathroom which can exacerbate problems with hemorrhoids, organ prolapse and the pelvic floor. Instead of relaxing these muscles they are more inclined to tighten them, obstructing a stool‘s passage. Tight pelvic floor muscles sometimes induce pain during defecation and patients avoid bowel movements. An effective treatment for constipation is behavior modification. We encourage patients to develop new habits such as responding to an ”urge,“ allowing enough time and not forcing the issue if they are not ready.

Back to top