Irritable Bowel Syndrome & Soft Bowel Stools

Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, is a functional bowel disease. There are three types: diarrhea predominant, constipation predominant and alternating bouts of both. There are some common symptoms among all three types of IBS.

Types

• All three IBS types are caused by dysfunction of the digestive system. When either too much or too little water is absorbed by the intestines, it causes either constipation or diarrhea. Gas and bloating are common to all types, due to the irregular function of the intestines.

Effects

• Although most common with diarrhea dominant IBS, soft bowel stools can be experienced with any type. Most often the cause is food being rushed through the intestines too fast, causing an excess of water to remain in the stool. This results in diarrhea or soft bowel stools.

Misconceptions

• There are over the counter and prescription medicines to treat soft bowel movements. A common misconception among those newly diagnosed with IBS is that people with soft bowel stools shouldn't supplement with fiber. Soluble fiber can absorb some of the excess water and give the stool more form, which can also slow the transit through the intestines.

Prevention

• Controlling IBS symptoms, such as diarrhea or soft bowel stool, is done by diet and stress reduction. Certain foods may trigger an especially strong symptom; avoiding that food may be necessary to lessen the loose stools.

Warning

• If you generally have constipation dominant IBS then you start experiencing extremely loose or soft stool, consult your doctor. This could be a sign of a serious bowel obstruction.