Challenges in functional bowel disease

Abstract

Society, the workplace and the family are changing. Despite increasing wealth, these changes appear to be accompanied by increasing anxiety and depression. Functional bowel disorders are associated with increased psychological morbidity, and the treatment of functional disorders needs to take these social and psychological factors into account. In the medical setting, therefore, the "therapeutic team" needs to be restructured to encompass a broader spectrum of skills and resources than currently exists in most units. An increase in understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms is likely to be helpful for patients who are not amenable to, or have failed, first line psychologically based, or ..