Have you been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (years ago) without a (stool) laboratory examination being carried out? Perhaps there is something else going on?
What is IBS?
Irritable bowel syndrome is also called spastic bowel and is a disturbed intestine that causes abdominal complaints and problems with defecation. The complaints often recur regularly and cause pain in various places in the abdomen.
How does IBS develop?
Nutrition and stress play a major role in the development of IBS, but it is not clear exactly how an irritable bowel occurs. In IBS, the complaints can be exacerbated by stress (busyness and tension), but the intestine also often reacts more intensely than normal to stimuli due to certain nutrients. These stimuli cause the intestine to contract more often and more intensely, causing pain complaints. Some people experience few complaints, other people have to adapt their entire lives to their irritable bowel.
What are the symptoms of irritable bowel?
From abdominal pain to severe abdominal cramps in different places in the abdomen
- Annoying bloated feeling in the abdomen
- Flatulence
- Irregular stools, diarrhea or constipation can alternate
- Abdominal pain may go away or worsen after you eat or have a bowel movement
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Pain or discomfort when urinating
- Backache
- Joint pain, muscle pain
Treatment of IBS
- Nutrition and lifestyle advice
- Against constipation, bulk formers, fibers, laxatives and moisture binders
- For diarrhea bulk formers and diarrhea inhibitors
- Paracetamol, duspatal for abdominal cramps
- Some antidepressants reduce pain stimuli and can be prescribed for severe pain cramps
- Hypnotherapy or pelvic physiotherapy
What is Dientamoeba fragilis?
Dientamoeba fragilis is a single-celled large intestinal parasite that was first described in 1918. Dientamoeba indicates that this organism was classified as amoebae rather than parasites. Fragilis means vulnerable. The Dientamoeba most closely resembles a parasite that often occurs in chickens and turkeys, Histomonas melegridis. The Dientamoeba fragilis is the most common and most harmful large intestinal parasite measuring 7-12 μm. The Dientamoeba fragilis can only live outside the body for a short time, yet this intestinal parasite is most common in the Netherlands.
How does the contamination take place?
Contaminated food, the toilet, hands (your own hands or those of the cook who prepares the food) can contain feces and thus cause infection. People also come into contact with feces when changing babies. Horses, dogs and rats can also transmit the parasites to humans. Many publications indicate that there is a relationship between Dientamoeba fragilis infection and the small white worms (Enterobius) or pinworms.
What are the symptoms of an infection with Dientamoeba fragilis?
- Abdominal pain or cramps
- Bloated feeling in the abdomen
- Flatulence
- Diarrhea, constipation and/or unusual stools that stick to the toilet
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Itching/eczema on the skin
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Fluish feeling
Treatment Dientamoeba fragilis
- Some doctors say not to treat Dientamoeba fragilis, because not all people who carry this parasite also have complaints. But because this is a contagious disease, treatment must always be given to prevent further infection. Paromomycin. an antibiotic that is also mentioned in the above article as a treatment against Dientamoeba fragilis and is 75% effective. It is available through pharmacies in Germany, Belgium and many other countries. It is not on the market in the Netherlands.
- Medicines, Clioquinol is the recommended medication, it works for 75%. Paromomycin is also prescribed, but because this is an antibiotic, it can affect the intestinal flora and is not available in the Netherlands. Flagyl (metronidazole) can also be prescribed, but this drug is often not very effective. The success of this treatment is approximately 50%.
- Avoiding grains: bread, pasta, rice, muesli, etc. (starchy foods) before and during the treatment increases the success of a treatment.
- Have the partner and family members checked and treat all infected persons at the same time.
- Follow-up checks take place 7 days after the treatment.
- Ensure good hygiene at home and at school.
IBS or intestinal parasite?
Many complaints that occur with irritable bowel syndrome, such as diarrhea, inability to retain stools, abdominal cramps, flatulence, etc., can also be caused by the large intestinal parasite Dientamoeba fragilis. However, IBS is often diagnosed with complaints without extensive laboratory testing. However, in 10 to 20 percent of the Dutch population, the complaints appear to be caused by parasites.