Digestive Health Irritable Bowel Syndrome Living With Irritable Bowel Syndrome in U.S. Veterans By Barbara Bolen, PhD twitter Barbara Bolen, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and health coach. She has written multiple books focused on living with irritable bowel syndrome. Learn about our editorial process Barbara Bolen, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH on November 19, 2020 linkedin Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH, is board-certified in gastroentrology. He is the vice chair for ambulatory services for the department of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, where he is also a professor. He was the founding editor and co-editor in chief of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Learn about our Medical Review Board Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH Updated on February 12, 2021 Print U.S. veterans who deployed in foreign countries and participated in active combat may develop long-term physical and psychological problems. Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGDs), such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), are emerging in some veterans of more recent conflicts. Most of the research on lingering illnesses in veterans focused on those from the Gulf War, but further information is coming out regarding health problems in those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ariel Skelley / Getty Images Chronic Symptoms of Post-Deployment Health Problems Some veterans, regardless of sex, suffer from a wide variety of ongoing and inexplicable health problems. Chronic issues reported by veterans include: Abnormal weight loss Cardiovascular disease Dizziness Fatigue Headaches Indigestion Insomnia Memory and other neurological problems Menstrual disorders Muscle and joint pain Psychological disorders Respiratory problems Sleep disturbance IBS and Gulf War Syndrome The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) calls it “medically unexplained illness,” but you may know it better as Gulf War syndrome. In cases where symptoms initially appeared during or after deployment, the VA now officially recognizes that the following illnesses may be the result of active duty in the more recent military conflicts Chronic fatigue syndrome Fibromyalgia Functional abdominal pain (an FGD) Functional dyspepsia (an FGD) IBS The exact causes of those conditions in veterans have yet to be determined. The Link Between IBS and Military Service Ongoing research focuses on post-infectious IBS (IBS-PI) because those stationed in foreign lands are at high risk for travelers' diarrhea, foodborne illness, and other forms of infectious gastroenteritis. Your risk of developing ongoing IBS after having that kind of illness is six times higher than for someone who hasn't had one, and the risk stays elevated for a few years after the initial illness. Additionally, you may have a heightened risk for IBS-PI if you experienced higher levels of anxiety, particularly in conjunction with stressful life events, in the three months before you caught the infectious illness. The stressors inherent in military service may contribute to the increased risk of developing IBS, including: Traumatic combat experiences The ongoing fear of being harmed Being far from home Veterans Benefits for IBS Diagnosis The VA recognizes IBS as a disabling condition eligible for healthcare benefits and disability compensation if you served in the Persian Gulf, Iraq, or Afghanistan. If you suspect your IBS is a result of your military service, you should be eligible for a free health assessment, as well as ongoing healthcare services, at your local Veterans Health Administration center. If your IBS prevents you from getting a job, you may be eligible for disability benefits. For a comprehensive overview of military disability benefits, see the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! One of the most challenging aspects of having IBS is trying to figure out what's safe to eat. Our recipe guide makes it easier. Sign up and get yours now! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. US Department of Veterans Affairs. War Related Illness and Injury Study Center. Irritable bowel syndrome. US Department of Veterans Affairs. Presumptive disability benefits. US Department of Veterans Affairs. Gulf war veterans. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Gulf War veterans' illnesses: Medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illnesses. Additional Reading Porter CK, Gloor K, Cash BD, Riddle MS. Risk of functional gastrointestinal disorders in U.S. military following self-reported diarrhea and vomiting during deployment. Dig Dis Sci. 2011;56(11):3262-3269. doi:10.1007/s10620-011-1762-3 Porter CK, Gormley R, Tribble DR, Cash BD, Riddle MS. The Incidence and gastrointestinal infectious risk of functional gastrointestinal disorders in a healthy US adult population. Am J Gastroenterol. 2011;106(1):130-138. doi:10.1038/ajg.2010.371 U.S. Federal Register. Presumptive Service Connection for Diseases Associated With Service in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations During the Persian Gulf War: Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders. July 15, 2011.