Irritable Bowel Syndrome 1999.3.19

Irritable Bowel Syndrome 1999.3.19

According to the second issue of the Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine in 1999, the main clinical manifestations of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) include abdominal pain, abdominal distension, abnormal bowel movements, and mucus in the stool, often presenting in paroxysmal episodes closely related to diet and emotions. However, colonoscopy, culture tests, and microscopic examinations fail to reveal any morphological or biochemical indicators. Previously, this condition was referred to as allergic colitis or allergic colon, while Japanese researchers called it gastrointestinal syndrome. In 1978, Manning et al. reported on 109 outpatients and followed up for 17–26 months, focusing on differentiating IBS from organic diseases. Their final conclusion was that IBS is a functional intestinal disorder characterized by abdominal pain accompanied by abnormal bowel movements, with the following four symptoms serving as distinguishing features from organic lesions: ① abdominal pain accompanied by loose stools; ② abdominal pain accompanied by increased frequency of bowel movements; ③ relief of abdominal pain after defecation; ④ abdominal distension. Other symptoms, such as mucus in the stool and urgency or incomplete evacuation, can also be considered. Later, at the International Conference in Rome in 1988, the Rome criteria for diagnosing IBS were proposed. In addition to the above, ① the duration of the illness must exceed three months; ② hard, dry stools are also considered a characteristic (alternating between dry and loose stools). These clinical manifestations align with the traditional Chinese medicine concept of spleen-stomach damp-heat, and Lianli Tang is the appropriate treatment method.