DDW 2008 News—IBS as Generalized Hypersensitivity to Pain Stimuli

Contrary to prior studies, subjects with IBS do have generalized hypersensitivity to pain stimuli. This was particularly true when these subjects were tested for somatic pain on the skin or in the extremities. In this study, which was performed on 26 subjects with IBS, researchers demonstrated that the subjects showed increased in pain sensitivity regardless of the origin of the pain. The subjects studied had hyperalgesia (extreme sensitivity to painful stimulus) and allodynia (pain in response to non-painful skin stimulus) related to both somatic (body) and visceral (internal organ) pain stimuli (for better understanding of these terms, please refer to the book I Have IBS, Now What?!!!). This finding suggests that these subjects have a generalized problem with the control of pain stimuli and explains why they suffer more from migraines, dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation), chronic pelvic pain, and other pain syndromes. (DDW Abstract S1817, May 18, 2008, Piché Mathieu, et.al.)
2008-05-29 04:24:13