Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder that affects the large intestine also known as the colon. The other name given to this disorder is “spastic colon.” Although it is common in both sexes, the condition affects women more than it affects men. IBS is not life-threatening nor linked to cancer, but its chronic nature can significantly affect quality of life.

The symptoms of IBS fluctuate depending on the individual. Sometimes, it may lessen and even disappear.

Signs of IBS may include:

  • Gas and bloating
  • Chronic stomach pain
  • Runny stools (diarrhea)
  • Constipation

If you are experiencing these symptoms, it is advisable to consult a doctor, as they can be related to other, more serious conditions.

Causes and treatment of IBS:

In many cases, IBS is caused by food allergy. If you suffer from stomach discomfort, consider getting an allergy test so your doctor can determine if your discomfort is caused by allergy.

In the past, allergy patients were advised to simply stop eating the foods that caused their allergies. New research,1 though, has shown that a treatment known as sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) may help reduce the effects of food allergy. SLIT uses under-the-tongue allergy droplets to help desensitize  patients to foods that cause allergy. This allows them to tolerate more food so they can enjoy more of the foods that lead to allergy symptoms.

Other treatments of IBS include anti-diarrheal medications, intake of fiber supplements and avoiding gas-causing foods.

To find out if food allergy may be contributing to your IBS and to learn more about sublingual immunotherapy for food allergy, contact AllergyEasy.


1 See Research Studies for medical literature on sublingual immunotherapy for food allergies.

About The Author

Stuart H. Agren, M.D.

Stuart H. Agren, M.D. completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Utah and went on to earn his Doctor of Medicine from Tulane University School of Medicine in 1974. He completed additional training at L.D.S. Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah and then established his private medical practice starting in 1975. Dr. Agren completed a mini-residency in Industrial Medicine at the Robert Johnson School of Medicine at Rutgers University and also completed training to become a certified Medical Review Officer.

Dr. Agren was the Medical Director at TRW and McDonnell Douglas in Mesa, Arizona and at Stauffer Chemical and Kennecott Copper in Salt Lake City, Utah. He also served as an adjunct faculty member at Arizona State University.

In his private medical practice, Dr. Agren specialized in family practice and allergy. In his work as a private practice allergist, he was one of the first doctors in the country to prescribe sublingual immunotherapy to his patients as an alternative to subcutaneous immunotherapy (allergy shots). He has also been a trailblazer in the field of food allergy treatment and research, developing a program to treat multiple food allergies simultaneously using sublingual immunotherapy. Dr. Agren has been featured on local CBS, NBC, and ABC news affiliates and won the peer-nominated “Top Doc” award from Phoenix Magazine.

After 20 years in private practice, Dr. Agren became the Founder and President of AllergyEasy, which helps primary care physicians around the country offer allergy testing and sublingual immunotherapy treatment to their patients. Over 200 physicians in over 32 states use the AllergyEasy program to help their patients overcome environmental and food allergies and asthma.