Check Up - Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Stomach cramps, trapped wind and feeling bloated? Do you swing between having diarrhoea and feeling constipated? You could be suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS. Up to one in five people suffer from IBS, and for many the symptoms stretch beyond the bowel - from headaches and dizziness, to ringing in the ears and shortness of breath. It’s not clear exactly what causes IBS, but it’s thought that factors such as stress and inflammation make the gut more sensitive in IBS patients. While there are treatments available, they need to be tailored to the patient’s specific symptoms. A treatment that works for one may make matters worse for another. Barbara Myers puts listeners' questions about the condition and how to treat it to Gastroenterologist Dr Anton Emmanuel from University College Hospital in London.