Irritable bowel syndrome, better known by the people as a “bear disease”, is called an intestinal dysfunction, which develops as a result of a malfunction of the psychosocial mechanism of action, impaired intestinal motility and visceral sensitivity. To characterize this disease, a special diagnosis strategy is needed. By its name “bear disease” this disease is due to bears, who, with a strong fright, for example during hunting, experience a sudden breakdown in bowel function.
The study of this disease began in the 19th century. In 1849, W. Gumming described the clinical picture of a patient with these symptoms, and later in 1892, W. Osler designated this clinical condition as mucous colitis. In most countries, “bear disease” is a very common disease, while about 60% of people who experience symptoms of this disease do not go to a doctor for help. Young people of working age are most susceptible to a bear illness - from 25 to 40 years.
Medically speaking, a bear disease is a set of persistent functional disorders that last at least 10-12 weeks throughout the calendar year and have the following symptoms: pain and discomfort in the abdomen, disappearing after an act of defecation, a change in the consistency and frequency of the stool, and mucus secretion along with feces and flatulence.
Depending on which particular symptom of the disease is leading, there are three options for the course of a bear’s disease:
- with flatulence and predominant pain in the abdomen;
- with prevailing constipation;
- with predominant diarrhea.
However, practice shows that such a division is very arbitrary, since 50% of patients observe a combination of various symptoms of the disease and their transformation. The definition of a variant of the disease from a practical point of view is of great importance, since the treatment of a bear disease depends on it.
Most often, a bear disease manifests itself during a period of nervous experiences or severe stress. This reaction results in a strong, sudden irritation by external factors of the nervous system and cerebral cortex, after which it becomes more active and begins to enhance a variety of functions in the body: respiratory, motor, and endocrine glands.
Bear disease: treatment.
The main condition for successful therapy is to establish a trusting relationship with the patient, who needs to clarify the nature of the disease and be sure to warn that the manifestations of the syndrome can persist for several months or even years without progression, and with proper treatment the symptoms will be alleviated.
The role of diet in the treatment of a bear disease has not been proven, however, its effect on the nature of the stool is very significant. It is necessary to limit the intake of gas-forming and fatty foods, caffeine, alcohol, caffeine and fiber.
In the presence of constipation, the amount of dietary fiber should be increased , i.e. cereals, beets, carrots, pumpkins, fruits and oatmeal. For pain and bloating, vegetables should be consumed in a baked, boiled or stewed form. With diarrhea, milk, raw fruits and vegetables should be excluded.
Medication for a bear’s disease is mainly aimed at symptoms that cause patients to seek medical help or cause the greatest discomfort. In this regard, the treatment is symptomatic with the use of many pharmaceuticals, such as antispasmodic and antidiarrheal drugs, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, serotonin receptor blockers, guanylate cyclase activators and antibiotics. An alternative therapy for this disease is to take phytotherapeutic agents and probiotics.