Mechanisms behind IBS

In this chapter, I go over the different mechanisms that have been suggested by experts to lead to IBS symptoms

IBS has long been considered a functional gut disorder. Now the classification is being changed to a “disorder of gut-brain interaction”. The new classification of IBS tells us that the problem that leads to gut symptoms is in the communication between the gut and the brain, which suggests also that symptom relief is possible through fixing this communication problem. Stress and the “fight-or-flight” response can trigger this dysfunctional communication, and when digging into the causes of the mechanisms I will write about in the topics below, stress shows up as being able to cause all of the proposed mechanisms. Perhaps IBS is not really a functional disorder after all – research is showing that there are actual (though not very testable) changes in the gut that lead to gut symptoms and that are strongly affected (and perhaps caused by) stress.

The mechanisms behind IBS are not completely understood and it is likely that it is multiple things that come together to contribute to symptoms in an individual manner. Read on to understand each proposed mechanism that contributes to IBS symptoms.

There will be a lot of information in this lesson! After reading about the IBS mechanisms, you will also have a better understanding on the interconnectedness of the mechanisms. And what is highly interesting, is that stress can cause them all – no wonder I’m devoting so much space here on stress management!

In the next lesson I will discuss gut disorders that have similar symptoms with IBS. This is an important topic, as we want to make sure that what we have is not one of them!