Understanding Gut Sensations: Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Diagnostic Fluidity in Danish Clinical Practice

Camilla Brændstrup Laursen; Rikke Sand Andersen; Marie Louise Tørring

doi:10.1080/01459740.2023.2248354

Understanding Gut Sensations: Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Diagnostic Fluidity in Danish Clinical Practice

Camilla Brændstrup Laursen^*, Rikke Sand Andersen, Marie Louise Tørring

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent health challenge in a Danish welfare context. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork at two Danish gastroenterology clinics, and inspired by Charles E. Rosenberg’s idea of styles of explaining widespread diseases, we outline three styles of understanding and treating gut trouble in daily clinical work: “The microbial gut,” “the mindful gut,” and “the lifestyled gut.” Moreover, we suggest the concept of fluidity to characterize IBS as a diagnostic category that allows clinicians and patients to operate through complex understandings of permeable boundaries between body, mind, and environment to negotiate personalized solutions for embodied gut sensations.

Original language	English
Journal	Medical Anthropology: Cross Cultural Studies in Health and Illness
Volume	43
Issue number	2
Pages (from-to)	174-187
ISSN	0145-9740
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/01459740.2023.2248354
Publication status	Published - 2024

Keywords

Denmark
diagnostic practices
fluidity
gut
irritable bowel syndrome
medically unexplained symptoms
Sensation
Irritable Bowel Syndrome/diagnosis
Humans
Anthropology, Medical

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title = "Understanding Gut Sensations: Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Diagnostic Fluidity in Danish Clinical Practice",

abstract = "Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent health challenge in a Danish welfare context. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork at two Danish gastroenterology clinics, and inspired by Charles E. Rosenberg{\textquoteright}s idea of styles of explaining widespread diseases, we outline three styles of understanding and treating gut trouble in daily clinical work: “The microbial gut,” “the mindful gut,” and “the lifestyled gut.” Moreover, we suggest the concept of fluidity to characterize IBS as a diagnostic category that allows clinicians and patients to operate through complex understandings of permeable boundaries between body, mind, and environment to negotiate personalized solutions for embodied gut sensations.",

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language = "English",

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pages = "174--187",

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Understanding Gut Sensations: Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Diagnostic Fluidity in Danish Clinical Practice. / Laursen, Camilla Brændstrup; Andersen, Rikke Sand; Tørring, Marie Louise.
In: Medical Anthropology: Cross Cultural Studies in Health and Illness, Vol. 43, No. 2, 2024, p. 174-187.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Understanding Gut Sensations

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AU - Andersen, Rikke Sand

AU - Tørring, Marie Louise

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent health challenge in a Danish welfare context. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork at two Danish gastroenterology clinics, and inspired by Charles E. Rosenberg’s idea of styles of explaining widespread diseases, we outline three styles of understanding and treating gut trouble in daily clinical work: “The microbial gut,” “the mindful gut,” and “the lifestyled gut.” Moreover, we suggest the concept of fluidity to characterize IBS as a diagnostic category that allows clinicians and patients to operate through complex understandings of permeable boundaries between body, mind, and environment to negotiate personalized solutions for embodied gut sensations.

AB - Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent health challenge in a Danish welfare context. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork at two Danish gastroenterology clinics, and inspired by Charles E. Rosenberg’s idea of styles of explaining widespread diseases, we outline three styles of understanding and treating gut trouble in daily clinical work: “The microbial gut,” “the mindful gut,” and “the lifestyled gut.” Moreover, we suggest the concept of fluidity to characterize IBS as a diagnostic category that allows clinicians and patients to operate through complex understandings of permeable boundaries between body, mind, and environment to negotiate personalized solutions for embodied gut sensations.

KW - Denmark

KW - diagnostic practices

KW - fluidity

KW - gut

KW - irritable bowel syndrome

KW - medically unexplained symptoms

KW - Sensation

KW - Irritable Bowel Syndrome/diagnosis

KW - Humans

KW - Anthropology, Medical

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DO - 10.1080/01459740.2023.2248354

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SN - 0145-9740

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JO - Medical Anthropology: Cross Cultural Studies in Health and Illness

JF - Medical Anthropology: Cross Cultural Studies in Health and Illness

IS - 2

ER -

Understanding Gut Sensations: Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Diagnostic Fluidity in Danish Clinical Practice

Abstract

Keywords

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