Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: Complex Treatments for Complex Pathophysiological Mechanisms

No matter which country in the World is evaluated, the prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) is very high. In fact, this is the most frequent cause of gastroenterological consultation. Nevertheless, many patients suffering from FGID never ask for medical assistance, so what physicians see is probably only the tip of the iceberg. FGID have a significant impact on patients’ everyday activities and quality of life, inducing emotional distress because of their chronic symptoms. Moreover, disorders such as functional dyspepsia (FD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) result in heavy economic burdens through direct medical expenses and loss of productivity. Like other diseases that disturb life’s activities, IBS is accompanied by a sphere of biopsychosocial implications. The WHO introduced the concepts of disability, impairment, and handicap to accurately define the impact of diseases on quality of life so that the different designed scales reflect all aspects of life restrictions caused by diseases. Impairment is defined as the signs and symptoms that are a direct consequence of the disease [1]. Disability is the boundary or the loss of ability to perform activities that would be considered normal for a human being (limitations of daily activities caused by a disease). Handicap represents the effects of disease in terms of avoiding patients’ development in a social structure (social and environmental limitations because of disease). The impact of FD and IBS include every aspect of life (sleep, sexual activity, diet, work, etc.), and therefore there is a significant disability, impairment, and handicap.