吳宇琛

SUM WU

Sum Wu

Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioner

Bachelor of Health Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine (UTS)

Bachelor of Science Majoring in Psychology (UOW)

Specialising in pain management and mental wellbeing through Tradition Chinese medicine in combination with modern science in mental health, dieting and nutrition.

吳宇琛，澳洲政府註冊中醫師、針灸師，五龍崗大學心理學學士、悉尼科技大學中醫系學士，擅長用傳統針灸理傷手法和中藥治療各種新舊損傷痛症，特別採用中醫中藥和現代心理學、營養學相結合調理治療各種慢性病和亞健康。

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

腸易激綜合症

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort, and altered bowel habits; for example, chronic or recurrent diarrhoea, constipation, or both – either mixed or in alternation. It has become a major health concern that has significant and lasting impact on people’s social lives as well as mental and physical wellbeing and often lead to severe feeling of embarrassment or reluctance to go outside at the thought of triggering IBS.

腸易激綜合症 (IBS) 是一種以腹痛或不適以及排便習慣改變為特徵的疾病；例如，慢性或反復腹瀉、便秘或兩者兼而有之——混合或交替。它已成為一個主要的健康問題，對人們的社交生活以及身心健康產生重大而持久的影響，並且常常導致人們一想到觸發腸易激綜合症就感到嚴重尷尬或不願外出。

IBS affects 10 – 15% of Australians, and 9 – 23% of the population worldwide. As many as 20 – 50% of patient visits to gastroenterologists are due to IBS symptoms. Most people with IBS are under the age of 45 – 50, and about 2/3 of IBS sufferers are female.

IBS 影響 10 – 15% 的澳大利亞人以及全球 9 – 23% 的人口。多達 20 – 50% 的患者因 IBS 症狀而去看胃腸病專家。大多數IBS患者年齡在45-50歲以下，其中約2/3的IBS患者是女性。

Irritable bowel syndrome is a condition commonly referred to as a functional gastrointestinal disorder (GI). Functional GI disorders happen when your GI tract behaves in an abnormal way without evidence of damage due to a disease.  Currently it thought that IBS is a disorder of brain-gut interaction, highlighting the importance of the brain and its relationship with gut function. More women than men are prone to IBS, and symptoms tend to first occur in early adulthood.

腸易激綜合症是一種通常被稱為功能性胃腸道疾病 (GI) 的疾病。當胃腸道表現異常，但沒有證據表明疾病造成損害時，就會發生功能性胃腸道疾病。目前認為IBS是一種腦-腸相互作用的疾病，強調了大腦的重要性及其與腸道功能的關系。女性比男性更容易患腸易激綜合症，而且症狀往往首先出現在成年早期。

There is no one cause for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Each individual will experience symptoms of IBS due to their own unique factors. These factors include changes of routine, emotional stress, infection, psychological distress, abnormal bowel function and diet. Other important factors include neurotransmitters, gut microbiota and intestinal motility.

腸易激綜合症沒有單一原因。由於自身獨特的因素，每個患者都會經歷腸易激綜合症的症狀。這些因素包括日常生活習慣的改變、情緒壓力、感染、心理困擾、腸功能異常和飲食習慣。其他重要因素包括神經遞質、腸道微生物群和腸道蠕動。

IBS, like many other health conditions, is frequently associated with anxiety and depression. Overall, people with IBS have a threefold higher risk of anxiety and depression compared to non-sufferers. In one meta-analysis, the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression among people with IBS was 39% and 29%, respectively, and the prevalence of co-occurring anxiety and depressive disorders was 23%.

腸易激綜合症通常與焦慮和抑鬱有關。總體而言，腸易激綜合症患者出現焦慮和抑鬱的風險是非腸易激綜合症患者的三倍。一項匯總分析顯示，IBS 患者焦慮和抑鬱症狀的患病率分別為 39% 和 29%，同時發生的焦慮和抑鬱障礙的患病率為 23%。

Some of the more common signs of irritable bowel syndrome include:

• Abdominal pain or cramping that is often relieved by passing wind or passing a bowel movement.
• Diarrhoea and constipation.
• A sensation that the bowels are not fully emptied after passing a motion
• Abdominal bloating and distension

IBS can also be further categorised into 3 main groups

• Constipation-predominant
• Diarrhoea-predominant
• Alternating constipation and diarrhoea

腸易激綜合症的一些更常見的症狀包括：

– 腹部疼痛或痙攣，通常可通過放氣或排便來緩解
– 腹瀉和便秘
– 排便後感覺還未完全排空
– 腹脹或腹痛

IBS 還可以進一步分為 3 個主要分類

– 便秘為主
– 腹瀉為主
– 便秘和腹瀉交替出現

While current research is unable to identify the exact cause, there are a few factors that are known to contribute to the conditions and are known as triggers. These factors can vary person to person. Common triggers include:

• Infection such as gastroenteritis
• Food intolerances
• Emotional stress
• Dysregulation of the brain-gut signals
• And some medications can trigger bouts of constipation and/or diarrhoea

雖然目前的研究無法確定確切的原因，但已知有一些因素會導致這種情況，稱為觸發因素。這些因素因人而異。常見的觸發因素包括：
– 胃腸炎等感染
– 食物不耐受
– 情緒壓力
– 腦腸信號失調
– 有些藥物可能會引發便秘或腹瀉

As mentioned before people that suffer from IBS have higher risks of mental health illness’s such with panic disorder, OCD, PTSD, anxiety and depression. Something that might affect their emotional level or stability may also trigger IBS.

如前所述，患有腸易激綜合症的人患精神疾病的風險較高，例如恐慌症、強迫症、創傷後應激障礙、焦慮症和抑鬱症。可能影響他們情緒水平或穩定性的事情也可能引發腸易激綜合症。

IBS is generally not considered to be genetic but it can run in families and unfortunately there is not cure for it but the symptoms can be managed via various means.

IBS 通常不被認為是遺傳性的，但它可以在家族中遺傳，不幸的是，它無法治愈，但可以通過多種方法控制症狀。

Treatments can include increasing dietary fibres and reducing foods that commonly cause gas. Anti-diarrhoea medication and laxatives. Antispasmodic drugs to reduce cramps. Tricyclic antidepressants may be prescribed in treating pain, bloating and reduce bowel frequency as an off label use. And for psychological causes then cognitive behavioural therapy or other psychological counselling may help reduce symptoms.

治療方法包括增加膳食纖維和減少容易產生氣體的食物，用抗腹瀉藥物和瀉藥，解痙藥可減少痙攣。三環類抗抑鬱藥可作為藥品核準標示外使用，用於治療疼痛、腹脹和減少排便次數。對於心理原因，認知行為療法或其他心理咨詢可能有助於減輕症狀。

如有疑問想咨詢吳宇琛中醫師，可以在微信或whatsapp搜索0404836368，加吳宇琛中醫師微信或whatsapp，也可以發短信或致電0404836368作語音留言，吳宇琛中醫師有空就會回復。

（吳宇琛中醫師，澳洲政府註冊中醫師、針灸師，五龍崗大學心理學學士、悉尼科技大學中醫系學士，悉尼好思维松轩药行主治中医师，本文僅供參考，具體診療應諮詢專業人士。）