Main description:

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is often dismissed as a trivial complaint blown out of proportion by neurotic hypochondriacs. The reality is very different. It is an extremely common and distressing problem affecting up to 20% of the population at any one time. The symptoms include bloating, wind, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and constipation, and the condition can vary in severity.

If you suffer from IBS , this book will answer the questions that you were too embarrassed to ask. Based on his long experience as a consultant gastroenterologist. Dr Shmueli provides detailed guidance on all aspects of the condition, answering over 430 questions from people with IBS.

Contents:

About the author and contributor

Forward

Introduction

1. How the gut works - the normal effects of food

2. Epidemiology - who gets IBS?

3. What causes IBS?

4. Pain in IBS

5. Recognising abdominal pain that is not due to IBS

6. Bloating and wind

7. Constipation

8. Diarrhoea and faecal incontinence

9. Alternating diarrhoea and constipation

10. Food allergy and intolerance

11. Psychological aspects of IBS

12. Complementary medicine

13. Medical tests and investigations: what they involve and what they mean

Glossary

Appendix- useful resources

Appendix - medicines available 'over the counter' for treating IBS in the UK