The definition of IBS has based on studies that have identified symptoms that discriminate those labelled as IBS from organic disease, as well as factor analyses that have identified clear symptom clusters. Traditionally, IBS has been conceptualized as a condition arising from brain-gut dysregulation. Thus, IBS is classified as one of the functional gastrointestinal disorders, where functional refers to a variable combination of chronic or recurring gastrointestinal symptoms not explained by structural or biochemical abnormalities.
IBS is characterized by unexplained abdominal discomfort or pain associated with disturbed defecation. Classically, IBS presents with abdominal pain or discomfort that is relieved by defecation or is associated at its onset with a change in stool frequency or a change in the appearance of the stool. The absence of red flag symptoms such as gastrointestinal bleeding, weight loss, fever, anaemia or an abdominal mass support such a symptom complex as IBS rather than as structural disease.
A number of other comorbid conditions may occur more often than expected by chance in those with IBS, including backache, fibromyalgia, headache, psychological symptoms and so on. Hence, IBS can present to a number of different subspecialists and is often initially misdiagnosed. IBS can be divided into those who tend to have predominant diarrhoea or predominant constipation. There is also a group of IBS patients who have mixed constipation and diarrhoea. To complicate matters, those with one predominant bowel pattern can alternate with the other.
In Western countries, approximately 10% of the general population fulfil the Rome criteria for IBS, although many do not ever consult for the problem. Highly variable bowel symptoms support a diagnosis of IBS, but the coexistence of abdominal pain and disturbed defecation remains a sine qua non for diagnosis. IBS overlaps with a number of other unexplained gastrointestinal symptom complexes, including chronic constipation and dyspepsia. Those conditions suggest that these conditions may not be discrete entities, but represent disorders with a common aetiopathogenesis.
IBS is a remarkably common condition according to population-based studies. It has been postulated that IBS is underdiagnosed in Asia and the condition will increase in prevalence because of changes in diet and infectious risk factors. IBS often disrupts daily living activities. 19% of respondents in a survey of married or cohabiting people with IBS stated they had difficulties in their personal relationships, and 45% stated that itinterfered with their sex life. The need for effective IBS treatment is therefore of a high priority.
Created by competent scientists, medicinal plant treatments provide real opportunities to safely eliminate IBS with encouraging measurable results. The use of medicinal plants is taking an increasingly greater role in the treatment of IBS as conventional medicine has few effective solutions. Powerless, and faced with treatment failures, some doctors are actively seeking alternative effective treatments to resolve this inadequacy. Natural plant medicine for IBS awaked in the calling of "back to nature" all over the world in the last 20 years and has improved and developed greatly.
Due to factors such as climate, environment, society, economy and diet, spectrum of disease has changed a lot. Functional disorders of immune system, environmental diseases, tumor, drug induced diseases, injury, excess nutrient or nutritional diseases and senile diseases increase greatly, meaning that diseases changed from treatment types to prevention types. Existing chemicals cannot fully meet the need of the community. Modern chemical drugs have poor efficacy or side effects and drug resistance of some drugs become more and more serious. Under these circumstances, people begin to train their eyes to natural plant medicine.
Natural plant medicine is taken from plants and preserves nature and bioactivity of various structural constitution. These substances are components of living organisms on the earth and necessary to maintain ecological balance. At the same time, they are useful, harmless and most easily accepted exogenetic essential materials that are selected and left by human and animal's long-term practice. In addition, before these substances are applied to body, profitless factors to organisms are wiped off by natural processing method created by the ancient in order to keep their purity. To learn more, please go to .
