Management of Overlap Syndrome between Functional Dyspepsia and Irritable Bowel Syndrome by Western and TraditionalChinese Medicine

The overlap syndrome of functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome (FD-IBS) is very common and difficult to treat. There are many risk factors of FD-IBS. Mental illness of FD-IBS patients is more serious. Functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome have some similarities in the aspects of pathophysiology, pathogenesis, and treatment. We should pay attention to two aspects of the treatment of overlap syndrome, one is simplifying medications, the other is using gastrointestinal motility drug with bidirectional regulative function when necessary. Traditional Chinese medicine in this respect shows some advantages. This review addresses the epidemiology, risk factors, clinical features, pathogenesis and management of FD-IBS.