KARACHI, Feb 23: The Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common gastro-intestinal problem world wide and up to 20% people suffers from it in Pakistan.

“It manifests itself in a number of ways and diagnosis can be very difficult at times; the treating physician has to exclude many serious diseases of the intestine like tuberculosis, inflammatory bowel disease, cancers, and acute and chronic inflections,” said Dr Syed Hasnain Ali Shah, associate professor of medicine and gastroenterology and consultant gastroenterologist at the Aga Khan University Hospital, while addressing a public health awareness programme held in Hyderabad.

The AKUH has organized over 135 “Signs, Symptoms and Care” programmes in Karachi, Hyderabad and the United Arab Emirates, drawing over 29,000 people, as part of its societal commitment to create awareness of early diagnosis and timely treatment. Based on the success of these programmes and in response to the requests from Hyderabad, this is the tenth such programme to be organized in that city.

Dr Hasnain said the common symptoms were abdominal bloating, gaseousness, pain, discomfort, diarrhoea and urgency of passing stools; sometimes constipation could be the major problem.

He said: “The patient is quite distressed by the symptoms and flips from one doctor to the other in order to get relief from the symptoms of the disease. It is important to note that it is not a life-threatening or serious disorder. It is more of a nuisance, to have symptoms which greatly impair the working of an individual.”

He further said that treatment could be difficult and a multi- disciplinary approach had to be applied; medication, behaviour therapy, environmental change, and sometimes physical exercises helped the patient.

“Treatment is however not always rewarding and a careful follow up of the patient has to be done,” stressed Dr Hasnain Ali Shah.—APP