Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is said to affect 14% of adolescents, (where it frequently begins) and millions of adults in the United States. It is characterized by abdominal pain, cramping, explosive diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal abnormalities such as white or clear mucus per rectum, constipation, heartburn, bloating, nausea, and vomiting, poor libido, urinary frequency and intensifying of symptoms premenstrually. It is not an inflammatory condition. Symptoms maybe brought on by stress. It is unusual for IBS to appear first in adulthood, and although it is possible, these symptoms appearing first in adults may often be due to other, more organic causes. A general yoga regimen is reported to help quite a bit, as is mindfulness training. Schumann D, Anheyer D, Lauche R, Dobos G Langhorst J, Cramer H. Effect of Yoga in the Therapy of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2016 Dec;14(12):1720-1731. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2016.04.026. Epub 2016 Apr 22.PMID: 27112106 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2016.04.026