Individuals with allergies seem to have a higher rate of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This was reported in a recent article in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. The report suggests that the two conditions may be linked in some individuals. The study found that people with conditions like allergic rhinitis, allergic eczema and asthma were 3.2 times more likely than other patients to have IBS. That may sound like a downer if you have allergies but actually it offers hope that doctors will recognize the association between allergies and IBS, and improve patient care. The information actually makes me feel better because it confirms what I've always believed. That my allergies are linked to the IBS symptoms I have.
