What is irritable bowel syndrome?
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common condition for which patients seek healthcare and the most common reason for a visit to a gastroenterologist. It affects at least 1 in 10 people and is considered the most common of the functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). The primary symptom is abdominal pain -- usually in the large intestine or stomach -- along with either constipation or diarrhea or both. The pain can be intense and constant, but often it fluctuates. Food moving through the intestines too quickly may result in diarrhea; too slowly, constipation. The gut may thus lose its normal rhythmicity.