Can previous umbilical hernia surgery lead to or become a contributing factor to irritable bowel syndrome?

3 Comments

1. Mr. Troubled says:

   July 31, 2009 at 6:55 am

   What is irritable bowel syndrome?
   Irritable bowel syndrome is one of the manifestations of functional abdominal pain. Functional means that there is no organic disease. Functional abdominal pain describes a constellation of symptoms as a result of intestinal motility disorders. Symptoms may include:

   flatulence
   bloating
   diarrhea
   constipation
   urgency with defecation
   incomplete sensation of defecation
   passage of mucus in the stool
   What causes irritable bowel syndrome?
   The digestion and propulsion of nutrients and fluids through the gastrointestinal system (GI) is a very complicated and very well organized process. The GI tract has its own intrinsic muscles and nerves that connect, like an electrical circuit, to the spinal cord and brain. Neuromuscular events occurring in the GI tract is relayed to the brain through neural connections, and the response of the brain is also relayed back to the gastrointestinal tract. As a result of this activity, motility and sensation in the bowel is generated. An abnormality in this process results in a disordered propulsion of the intestinal contents and generates the sensation of pain.

   The nerves that control the digestive tract may also be more sensitive to the activity associated to the process of digestion. Children with irritable bowel syndrome may be more aware of gas and motion and rumbles of the intestines. They are more aware of these discomforts and hence more irritated when they occur. The child who experiences the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome is thought to be as a result of the following and their interaction:

   motility abnormalities

   visceral hypersensitivity
   The viscera are the organs inside the abdominal cavity. The GI tract is the largest in the abdomen and it has been seen that in patients with functional GI disorders there is heightened sensitivity to changes within the intestine, whether to the presence of food or as a result of distension of the viscera.

   psychosocial problems
   It is well known that the emotional state of the person can directly influence the activity in the gastrointestinal tract. High levels of anxiety, stress, or anger can induce diarrhea.

   A stressful event is not circumscribed to emotional issues but also to physical stresses such as a viral illness or any other particular disease state.

   bacterial infection
   Some of the individuals with gastroenteritis caused by a bacterial infection sometimes develop irritable bowel syndrome.
   All of the above factors can trigger the occurrence of symptoms. It is important to stress to the child with a functional bowel disorder that his/her abdominal pain is real and not imaginary.

   Who is affected by irritable bowel syndrome?
   Irritable bowel syndrome occurs in both children and adults.

   Ten to 15 percent of school-aged children and adolescents have symptoms of functional abdominal pain to the point of interrupting their daily normal life.

   Thirty-three percent of adults who have irritable bowel syndrome can trace their symptoms back to childhood.

   Girls are affected by the disorder slightly more often than boys.

   There is no known gene that causes irritable bowel syndrome, but the disorder does seem to occur more often in families where either a child or a parent has the disorder.
   Why is irritable bowel syndrome a concern?
   Children with irritable bowel syndrome often do not feel well. Those who have diarrhea may have little warning of their need to go to the bathroom, and, therefore, may be embarrassed and avoid going to school or socializing with their schoolmates. Children can become depressed or anxious because of the disorder.

   Most children with irritable bowel syndrome continue to grow and develop normally. However, some children may eat less to avoid the pain that can accompany digestion, and therefore, lose weight.

   Its greatest morbidity resides in the fact that it affects normal daily activity of the child, affecting school and peer relations.

   What are the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome?
   According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), irritable bowel syndrome in children tends to produce two types of symptoms: diarrhea or pain, depending on the age of the child. Symptoms may include:

   recurrent abdominal pain. The pain becomes chronic when it has been present for a period greater than three months.

   an altered bowel pattern with diarrhea and constipation, all of which suggests intestinal motility dysfunction.

   headaches

   pallor

   nausea

   dizziness

   anorexia

   limb pain
   In children, symptoms of functional bowel disorders are variable and are age dependent. For example:

   infantile colic (younger than 4 months of age)

   gastroesophageal reflux (younger than 2 years of age and then reappears in adolescence and adulthood)

   chronic non-specific diarrhea (younger than 4 years of age)

   constipation (any age)

   irritable bowel syndrome (adolescents and adults)
   The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are not unique for the condition. Altered bowel pattern and abdominal pain could be symptoms of organic disease – one reason why you should always consult your child’s physician for a diagnostic work-up.

   How is irritable bowel syndrome diagnosed?
   Your child’s physician will obtain a thorough medical history, perform a full physical examination, and obtain screening laboratories to assess for infection and inflammation. The laboratory tests, imaging studies, and procedures to be performed will be dictated by the history and physical examination. Tests and procedures that your child’s physician may order may include the following:

   blood tests – to evaluate whether your child is anemic, has an infection, or has an illness caused by inflammation or irritation.

   urine analysis and culture – to help assess for urinary tract infections.

   stool sample – for culture to check for bacteria and parasites that may cause diarrhea.

   stool samples for occult blood – occult blood cannot be seen and is only detected by a special solution that turns blue when coming into contact with blood. It suggests an inflammatory source in the gastrointestinal tract.

   lactose breath hydrogen test – to determine if your child is intolerant to lactose, a sugar present in milk and milk products.

   abdominal x-ray – a simple study that will give the physician an idea of how the internal organs look.

   abdominal ultrasound – a diagnostic imaging technique which creates images from the rebound of high frequency sound waves in the internal organs.

   endoscopy – a test that uses a small, flexible tube with a light and a camera lens at the end (endoscope) to examine the inside of part of the digestive tract. Tissue samples from inside the digestive tract may also be taken for examination and testing.
   Rarely, the physician will require ultrasound and/or an endoscopy.
2. Kris from HerniaSurgery says:

   April 11, 2010 at 1:07 pm

   Always best to go and consult your doctor to do a full physical examination and get to the root of the problem!
3. Retractable Dog Lead says:

   January 11, 2011 at 7:44 am

   It is a functional bowel disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits in the absence of any detectable organic cause. it is a source of chronic pain, fatigue, and other symptoms, and it increases a patient’s medical costs.