When Senator Harry Reid requested more funding to the Department of Defense<\/a> for research on Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), it became a comedic punch-line in the news and in former Defense Secretary Robert Gates\u2019s recent memoir.<\/p>\n However, the link between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder<\/a> (PTSD) and the risk of IBS is a real concern for veterans, according to national medical researchers. The Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a> has determined that IBS is a disorder that can be classified as a disability if related to military service \u2013 though the exact cause of the syndrome is difficult to pinpoint.<\/p>\n “The link between being a veteran and having a higher risk of IBS is unclear, partly because the underlying cause [of IBS] is unclear” says Dr. Phillip Schoenfeld, a University of Michigan medical school professor and expert in gastroenterology, including IBS.<\/p>\n Certainly, stress induced from service during wartime may exacerbate symptoms by inducing chemical and hormonal changes. For (more…)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When Senator Harry Reid requested more funding to the Department of Defense for research on Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), it became a comedic punch-line in the news and in former Defense Secretary Robert Gates\u2019s recent memoir. However, the link between…<\/span><\/p>\n