Mizzou Researchers Find Link Between IBS & Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine in Columbia have uncovered a link between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and somatic disorders such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Lead researcher Doctor Zahid Tarar says the findings are just another example of previous research determining that ailments in the gut are also linked to ailments elsewhere in the body and mind.

IBS is a disorder of the stomach and intestines affecting up to 15 percent of the population causing cramps, abdominal pain, bloating, gas and diarrhea.

Early identification of IBS is considered a key in developing treatment strategies to improve overall quality of health.

The prevalence of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome among those with IBS was recently published in Biomedicines