According to research, 2 in 10 people in the UK have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, (IBS) and suffer with episodes six times a year or more. IBS accounts for 10% of all GP visits and 50% of all visits to gastroenterologists. Treatment options through the NHS are limited.

Nutrition, lifestyle and environmental factors are consistently identified as significant causes of and solutions to IBS.

What is IBS?

GPs define IBS through the Rome III criteria as symptoms of recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort (including bloating) and a marked change in bowel habit for at least six months, with symptoms experienced on at least three days of at least three months.

Two or more of the following must apply:

You may find your symptoms get worse:

IBS can cause other symptoms too. These include:

• Feeling very tired
• Indigestion
• Feeling sick
• Backache and other muscle or joint pains
• Trouble sleeping
• Regular headaches
• Problems with your bladder, such as needing to pass urine more often and urgently, particularly at night
• Painful sex
• Difficulty controlling your bowels, such as leaking faeces when you break wind

Treatment strategies through your GP

A diagnosis of IBS is usually made after ruling out pathologies with several blood tests. However, there are often multiple reasons for a person’s symptoms, making a clear diagnosis challenging. Patients are usually offered palliative measures designed to alleviate the symptoms of IBS and recommendations are increasingly being made to seek dietary advice from relevant professionals.

IBS Package

What can you expect from the HealthWorks IBS Clinic?

• Identify root causes of your IBS symptoms (once pathologies are ruled out by your GP or consultant). These may include one or a combination of nutrition, lifestyle and environmental factors
• In-depth discussion on the nutrition, lifestyle and environmental factors that may support you
• An individualized programme that is tailored to your needs
• Ongoing support via telephone and email
• Further testing recommendations where required
• Relevant nutritional supplements to support nutritional interventions