Many patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) also suffer indigestion or functional dyspepsia, according to a new study.
The survey aimed to determine how common each disorder was and to what extent they overlapped. Out of just over 700 people surveyed, nearly nine percent had IBS symptoms and of these, 70 percent also had functional dyspepsia. The association between the two disorders was significant as it was much greater than expected by chance, the researchers found. It has been suggested that dyspepsia and IBS share the same underlying cause: the so-called irritable gut.
The researchers commented, "Physicians need to realize that many patients seeking care for gastrointestinal symptoms are likely to have more than one clinical disorder."
Patients who complained of symptoms of both disorders or symptoms belonging to IBS were much more likely to consult a doctor about their problems than those who reported dyspepsia.
Functional dyspepsia was defined as having upper abdominal pain or discomfort for 6 months or more in the previous year.
IBS was defined as having continuous or recurrent symptoms - such as abdominal pain relieved with defecation, straining and bloating - for 3 months or more in the previous year.
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