Do these symptoms sound familiar?
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| | | It's common to be sensitive to certain foods. For example, I recently started drinking cow's milk, and I noticed that it gives me some mild stomach discomfort. Not quite enough to stop drinking it, but enough to make me wonder if I should. | | If you're part of the 25 to 45 million people in the United States who live with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) you may be dealing with more that just mild stomach pain. To help us better understand IBS and how it differs from another common digestive system condition, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), we invited gastroenterologist Saurabh Sethi, MD, MPH, to contribute to today's newsletter. He has more below. | | | | | | | The more you know!
Ginger Wojcik
Newsletter Editor, Healthline |  | | Written by Ginger Wojcik
May 1, 2025 • 2.5 min read | | | |  | | | | | | A: | IBS is a bowel disorder that often causes symptoms like bloating, diarrhea, or constipation. Importantly, IBS doesn't cause permanent damage to the digestive system. There are no specific tests for diagnosing IBS, but a doctor may make a diagnosis by ruling out other conditions. Doctors often use the Rome Criteria, which involves evaluating symptoms like abdominal pain and altered bowel movements.
Treatment for IBS focuses on symptom relief, usually through dietary changes (like a low FODMAP diet), stress management, and medications that help manage diarrhea, constipation, or abdominal pain.
On the other hand, IBD refers to a groups of conditions that include Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, where the immune system attacks parts of the digestive tract, causing inflammation and potential long-term damage. IBD shares the aforementioned symptoms of IBS as well as: - eye inflammation
- extreme fatigue
- intestinal scarring
- joint pain
- malnutrition
- rectal bleeding
- weight loss
IBD diagnosis is more complex, requiring a combination of physical exams, lab tests, imaging studies like endoscopy, and sometimes biopsies to assess the extent of inflammation and determine whether it's Crohn's or ulcerative colitis.
Treatment focuses on reducing inflammation and preventing flare-ups, often with medications like steroids, immunosuppressants, and biologics. In more severe cases, surgery might be required to remove damaged portions of the intestine. | | | | | | | |  | | | | Diet for Gut Health. It's a Big Deal! | | Did you know that a healthy gut can help reduce your risk of chronic conditions such as cancer and heart disease? In this video, registered dietitian Lisa Valente shares diet tips for keeping your gut healthy. | | | | | | | | | | | What we're digesting | | 🎗️ Where does breast cancer spread? Learn about common locations for metastatic breast cancer. | | 🎨 Are people with bipolar disorder more creative? Let's dig into this common misconception. | | 🤕 Signs and symptoms of a migraine episode. It's much more than a headache. | | 💊 6 vitamins that may help with vaginal dryness. Be sure to talk with your doctor before adding any supplements to your routine. | | | | | How did you feel about this newsletter? | | | | | Email nutritionedition@healthline.com with comments related to this newsletter or topics you'd like to see in future editions. The newsletter editors read every message that lands in our inbox — yes, really! We look forward to hearing from you. | | | | Until next time, |  | Take care of yourself, and we'll see
you again soon! | | | | |  | | This edition was powered by | | plants.️ | | | | |
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