INTRODUCTION: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel condition of the gastrointestinal tract characterized by recurrent abdominal pain and discomfort accompanied by changes in bowel function, diarrhea, constipation or a combination of both, typically over months or years. It happens predominantly in women, with females representing over 70% of sufferers and can cause cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation. Irritable Bowel Syndrome doesn't damage the bowel or lead to other health problems. It has no known cure, but you can do things to ease the symptoms.

SYNDROME: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a long-term (chronic) but controllable condition. No single kind of treatment works best for everyone. It is a "syndrome," meaning a group of symptoms. As noted, IBS is characterized by its symptoms such as continuous or recurrent lower abdominal pain or cramping (from mild to excruciating) in association with changed bowel motility (diarrhea, constipation, or both).

It's important that the following diseases are excluded before you accept a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome: Colon and carcinoid cancer, Inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis), Bowel obstructions, Diverticulosis / Diverticulitis, Gallstones, Food allergies, Celiac (a genetic, autoimmune disorder resulting in gluten intolerance), Bacterial infections and small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), Parasites in the intestines, Endometriosis, Ovarian cancer.

SYMPTOMS: Signs that cumulatively support the diagnosis of IBS: abnormal stool frequency (may be defined as greater than three bowel movements per day or less than three bowel movements per week), abnormal stool form (lumpy/hard or loose/watery stool), abnormal stool passage (straining, urgency, or feeling of incomplete evacuation), passage of mucus, bloating or feeling of abdominal distension.

You and your doctor will need to work together to determine what may be causing your symptoms. It may be necessary for you to change your lifestyle to best deal with your symptoms and still carry on with your daily activities.

TREATMENT: Depends on the types of symptoms you have and their severity, as well as how they affect your daily life, and will likely involve changes to your lifestyle. It is important that you work closely with your health professional to create a treatment plan that will meet your needs.

Let your health professional know if parts of your treatment are not helping your symptoms. Your doctor will give you the best treatments for your particular symptoms and encourage you to manage stress and make changes to your diet. Unfortunately, many people suffer from IBS for a long time before seeking medical treatment.

CONCLUSION: IBS affects the colon, or large bowel, which is the part of the digestive tract that stores stool. It can cause a great deal of discomfort and distress, but it does not permanently harm the intestines and does not lead to a serious disease, such as cancer. It is generally diagnosed on the basis of a complete medical history that includes a careful description of symptoms and a physical examination.

Irritable bowel syndrome is running rampant because traditional medicine has no diagnosis for it. For some persons who have it, certain foods may trigger symptoms. If you suffer from this condition you may already know that fat can irritate your problem. A diagnosis of Irritable bowel syndrome has been reported by 10 to 20% of adults in the USA, and symptoms are responsible for over 3,000,000 yearly visits to doctors.