Making Sense of IBS - A Physician Answers Your Questions about Irritable Bowel Syndrome : A Physician Answers Your Questions About Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Preface vii Acknowledgments ix List of Abbreviations xi PART I Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Who, What, and Why? 1. Why Me? Why Now? 3(7) 2. What Is IBS? 10(21) 3. How Common Is IBS? 31(11) 4. What Causes IBS? 42(17) PART II Diagnosing Irritable Bowel Syndrome 5. How Is IBS Diagnosed? 59(17) 6. IBS and Other Medical Disorders 76(14) 7. The Anatomy of Normal Digestion 90(16) 8. Diagnostic Tests and What They Mean 106(19) 9. What Is My Prognosis? 125 PART III Treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome 10. Treatment Basics 135(11) 11. Diet 146(15) 12. Treatments for Constipation 161(20) 13. Treatments for Diarrhea 181(15) 14. Medications for Pain, Bloating, and Overall Symptoms 196(23) 15. Psychological, Hypnotherapeutic, and Psychiatric Therapies 219(10) 16. Complementary and Alternative Medicine 229(10) PART IV Other Issues 17. IBS and Children 239(12) 18. What Does the Future Hold? 251(10) Appendix: About Clinical Trials and Scientific Research 261(8) Patient Resources 269(4) Glossary 273(12) References 285(10) Index 295