Ask the Expert: Irritable Bowel Syndrome

26th Apr 2023 Health Conditions

Dr Sean Preston is a consultant gastroenterologist at the Royal London Hospital, Barts Health and founding partner of London Digestive Health at The Princess Grace Hospital, London, he answers our questions on Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

How did you come to specialise in gastroenterology?

I wanted to be a gastroenterologist since medical school. You work with people of all ages and see some over many years.

"You can make a huge difference, which is often described by patients as life changing"

It’s lovely to have that continuity and a great honour to be allowed into people’s very intimate stories. You can make a huge difference, which is often described by patients as life changing.

What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

IBS often comes together with psycho social elements such as depression or anxiety

IBS is a common functional bowel disease - the organ is structurally as it should be but not working as it was designed to. It is either constipation or diarrhoea predominant, or more rarely the mixed type.

"We need to eliminate other diseases, such as cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis), or coeliac disease"

You have abdominal pain and discomfort, and bloating in addition to some change in the frequency or consistency of your stool. We need to eliminate other diseases, such as cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis), or coeliac disease.  

What causes IBS?

There is no one single cause, but we see it most commonly after an episode of gastroenteritis. There is often a significant psycho-social element - IBS often comes together with depression, anxiety or fibromyalgia.

What can people do to prevent it?

Fermented foods such as kimchi are great for your gut health

Focus on gut health – drink 1.5 litres of water a day and have a diversity of plants in your diet, including fermented foods like kimchi. Exercise is tremendous for the gut. Try to avoid stress and unnecessary antibiotics.

When should they seek help?

We should all talk about our symptoms with relatives and friends and check our stools for blood. If you have symptoms, you should always go to your GP.

"If you have symptoms, you should always go to your GP"

If there is bleeding, weight loss, vomiting or you get up at night to open your bowels, we need to consider other more serious diagnoses. Once those are ruled out, and the cause of the symptoms explained, many people feel better already. There are many treatments for IBS, depending on the cause and the type.

For more information, go to www.hcahealthcare.co.uk/finder/specialists/dr_sean_preston

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