Link between our gut & brain

What is irritable bowel syndrome?

Misconceptions of lactose intolerance

How a psychologist helps with treatment

Example of a patient at the weekly clinic

Find out why stress is not the root cause of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), though it can trigger or worsen IBS.

Synopsis: Every first and third Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.

Many people think that stress can cause IBS or irritable bowel syndrome, a common condition that causes recurrent episodes of diarrhoea, constipation, bloating, or abdominal pain. But this is not true. 

Stress can trigger or worsen IBS, but it is not the root cause, says Dr Andrew Ong, a consultant gastroenterologist at the Singapore General Hospital, who runs a weekly IBS clinic at the hospital for hard-to-treat IBS cases. 

In this episode hosted by Straits Times senior health correspondent Joyce Teo, Dr Ong also talks about how the brain and the gut are linked, the approach he takes at the weekly clinic and how it has helped some patients. 

This is the first of a two-part series with Dr Ong on gastrointestinal issues, of which IBS is the most common condition. In the next episode, Dr Ong talks to Joyce about the foods to avoid if one has IBS, and the difference between food intolerance and food allergy.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:17 The link between our gut and brain

3:09 What is irritable bowel syndrome?

8:14 Misconceptions of lactose intolerance

11:54 How does a psychologist help with treatment

17:24 Example of a patient at the weekly clinic

Listen to Pt 2: What to eat or not eat if you have IBS - https://str.sg/i3gB

Produced by: Joyce Teo (joyceteo@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Eden Soh

Edited by: Eden Soh

Read more: https://str.sg/iJqa

Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaQ

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6Wv

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (new): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#healthcheck

Find out why stress is not the root cause of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), though it can trigger or worsen IBS.
Synopsis: Every first and third Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.
Many people think that stress can cause IBS or irritable bowel syndrome, a common condition that causes recurrent episodes of diarrhoea, constipation, bloating, or abdominal pain. But this is not true. 
Stress can trigger or worsen IBS, but it is not the root cause, says Dr Andrew Ong, a consultant gastroenterologist at the Singapore General Hospital, who runs a weekly IBS clinic at the hospital for hard-to-treat IBS cases. 
In this episode hosted by Straits Times senior health correspondent Joyce Teo, Dr Ong also talks about how the brain and the gut are linked, the approach he takes at the weekly clinic and how it has helped some patients. 
This is the first of a two-part series with Dr Ong on gastrointestinal issues, of which IBS is the most common condition. In the next episode, Dr Ong talks to Joyce about the foods to avoid if one has IBS, and the difference between food intolerance and food allergy.
Highlights (click/tap above):
1:17 The link between our gut and brain
3:09 What is irritable bowel syndrome?
8:14 Misconceptions of lactose intolerance
11:54 How does a psychologist help with treatment
17:24 Example of a patient at the weekly clinic
Listen to Pt 2: What to eat or not eat if you have IBS - <a href="https://str.sg/i3gB">https://str.sg/i3gB</a>
Produced by: Joyce Teo (<a href="mailto:joyceteo@sph.com.sg">joyceteo@sph.com.sg</a>), Ernest Luis and Eden Soh
Edited by: Eden Soh
Read more: <a href="https://str.sg/iJqa">https://str.sg/iJqa</a>
Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:
Channel:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaN"> https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/JWRX"> https://str.sg/JWRX</a>
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaQ"> https://str.sg/JWaQ</a>
Google Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/J6Wv"> https://str.sg/J6Wv</a> 
SPH Awedio app:<a href="https://www.awedio.sg/"> https://www.awedio.sg/</a>
Website:<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts"> http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
Read Joyce Teo's stories:<a href="https://str.sg/JbxN"> https://str.sg/JbxN</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast channels:
In Your Opinion:<a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt"> https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Asian Insider:<a href="https://str.sg/JWa7"> https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Health Check:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaN"> https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Green Pulse:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaf"> https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Your Money &amp; Career:<a href="https://str.sg/wB2m"> https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
ST Sports Talk:<a href="https://str.sg/JWRE"> https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
#PopVultures:<a href="https://str.sg/JWad"> https://str.sg/JWad</a>
Music Lab:<a href="https://str.sg/w9TX"> https://str.sg/w9TX</a>
Discover ST Podcasts:<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts"> http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Discover BT Podcasts:<a href="https://bt.sg/pcPL"> https://bt.sg/pcPL</a>
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (new): <a href="https://str.sg/i44T">https://str.sg/i44T</a>
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps):<a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2"> https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Invisible Asia (9 eps):<a href="https://str.sg/wuZn"> https://str.sg/wuZn</a>
Stop Scams (10 eps):<a href="https://str.sg/wuZB"> https://str.sg/wuZB</a>
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps):<a href="https://str.sg/wuJa"> https://str.sg/wuJa</a>
---
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#healthcheck

Synopsis: Every first Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.

Podcaster: Joyce Teo

Produced & edited by: Amirul Karim

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: Every first Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.
Podcaster: Joyce Teo
Produced &amp; edited by: Amirul Karim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

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