Main description:

IBS, which affects almost one in six Americans, is characterized by abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea or constipation. Today more than ever before, physicians are 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. Drawing on his many years of experience treating people who have symptoms of IBS, Dr. Brian E. 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 in the second edition includes: the roles of fiber, gluten, lactose, and fructose in the development and treatment of IBS; the use of probiotics and antibiotics to treat IBS; similarities and differences between IBS and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); the relationship between small intestine bacterial overgrowth and IBS; how to make the most of your visits to a gastroenterologist; and lifestyle modifications that can improve symptoms of IBS.
Making Sense of IBS is an essential resource for anyone who has symptoms or a diagnosis of IBS as well as for health professionals who treat people with this complex disorder.

Contents:

Preface
Acknowledgments
List of Abbreviations
Part I: Irritable Bowel Syndrome: The Basics
1. Overview of IBS
2. What Is IBS?
3. Why Do I Have IBS?
4. How Common Is IBS?
5. What Is My Prognosis?
6. The Anatomy of Digestion
Part II: Diagnosing Irritable Bowel Syndrome
7. How Is IBS Diagnosed?
8. Diagnostic Tests and What They Mean
9. IBS and Other Medical Disorders
10. IBS and Diet
11. IBS and Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
12. IBS versus IBD
Part III: Treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome
13. Treatment Basics
14. Lifestyle Modifications
15. Diet Modifications
16. Treatment Options for IBS with Constipation
17. Treatment Options for IBS with Diarrhea
18. Medications for Abdominal Pain Associated with IBS
19. Treatments for Gas and Bloating
20. Probiotics and Antibiotics: Frequently Asked Questions
21. Complementary and Alternative Medicine
22. Psychological, Hypnotherapeutic, and PsychiatricTherapies
23. The Ingredients of an Effective Doctor's Appointment
Part IV: Other Issues
24. IBS and Children
25. What Does the Future Hold?
Appendix: About Clinical Trials and Scientific Research
Patient Resources
Glossary
References
Index