User:Charlottebaker1/Irritable bowel syndrome

Edits — IBS and its correlations to sleep disturbances added into the following 3 sections

Signs and Symptoms
The primary symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain or discomfort in association with frequent diarrhea or constipation and a change in bowel habits.Symptoms usually are experienced as acute attacks that subside within one day, but recurrent attacks are likely. There may also be urgency for bowel movements, a feeling of incomplete evacuation (tenesmus) or bloating. In some cases, the symptoms are relieved by bowel movements. People with IBS, more commonly than others, have gastroesophageal reflux, symptoms relating to the genitourinary system, fibromyalgia, headache, backache, and psychiatric symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. About a third of adults who have IBS also report sexual dysfunction, typically in the form of a reduction in libido.

Stress
Publications suggesting the role of the brain–gut axis appeared in the 1990s and childhood physical and psychological abuse is often associated with the development of IBS. It is believed that psychological stress may trigger IBS in predisposed individuals.

Given the high levels of anxiety experienced by people with IBS and the overlap with conditions such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, a potential explanation for IBS involves a disruption of the stress system. The stress response in the body involves the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis(HPA) and the sympathetic nervous system, both of which have been shown to operate abnormally in people with IBS. Psychiatric illness or anxiety precedes IBS symptoms in two-thirds of people with IBS, and psychological traits predispose previously healthy people to developing IBS after gastroenteritis. Individuals with IBS also report high rates of sleep disturbances such as trouble falling asleep and frequent arousal throughout the night.

Psychological therapies
There is inconsistent evidence from studies with poor methodological quality that psychological therapies can be effective in the treatment of IBS.Reducing stress may reduce the frequency and severity of IBS symptoms. Preliminary research shows that psychotherapeutic interventions are correlated with reductions in both autonomic nervous system dysregulation and gastrointestinal symptoms. Techniques that may be helpful include regular exercise, such as swimming, walking, or running.