Stress leads to bowel disorders, says expert

CHENNAI: Have you ever wondered why you have severe cramps in your stomach when you are stressed? Or why specialists ask you to relax when you have an upset tummy? "The gut and brain are closely connected. We call gut the second brain because it has numerous nerve cells and direct nerve connections to the brain," said Dr Mohammed Ali, head of gastroenterology, Government General Hospital.
Patients who have bowel disorders are usually a disturbed lot. "It should not be mistaken for a psychosomatic condition. Stress triggers bowel dysfunction. With an irritable bowel, a person is forced to stay put at home, away from the daily routine," Dr Ali said, ahead of the release of a CD on irritable bowel syndrome, which, according to him, was becoming more common in Chennai, affecting at least 10% of people in the city. Bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhoea or constipation (sometimes these alternate) could be symptoms of a bowel disorder.
"The primary reason you should go to a doctor is to rule out problems like inflammatory bowel disease, ulcers, colitis, Crohn's disease or colon cancer," Dr Ali said, "After every other disease is ruled out, a diagnosis for irritable bowel is made. Even after treatment, the problem might resurface in a few months."
At least 30% of patients in the medical gastroenterology ward suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, Dr Ali pointed out. "While there are medicines for treatment, it is essential for the doctor to develop a good rapport with the patient. The patient should be relaxed and convinced that he or she does not suffer from a major disease, but it is only an irritable bowel." And patients with problems in the gut, too, receive counselling and psychotherapy as part of treatment, he added.
GUT FEEL
* Gut is referred to as the human body's second brain. Scientists have shown that the brain and gut communicate back and forth via major nerves extending from the base of the brain to the abdomen.
* With the nerve connection, they directly influence each other. This probably also explains why you have butterflies in your stomach before an exam or an interview. Or why you feel extremely low when you have loose motion or constipation.