Irritable Bowel Syndrome. What is It?

We hear a lot these days about Irritable Bowel Syndrome. What is it? Symptoms include constipation, diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain. While IBS, (Irritable bowel syndrome) can cause much pain, it is not fatal, and will not lead to other conditions. For most suffers of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, diet, reduction of stress, and prescriptions is all that is needed. For others, however, the condition is so sever that it may interfere with their daily lives. They may not be able to take trips or go to work.

Having symptoms of IBS is not unusual. More than one in five adults in America, claim to have the symptoms. IBS, occurs more often in women although men may experience this disorder as well. The disease of Irritable bowel symptoms tends to appear around the age of 35.

When it comes to the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, symptoms can be complete opposites, and vary from one patient to another. Some patients with IBS have extreme constipation, with infrequent bowel movements. When they finally have a bowel movement they may have great difficulty with the elimination. Patients often report much straining with little success. When patients are able to have a bowel movement it is usually with mucus present. Mucus is fluid that is produced by the body to help to protect the linings of the intestine.

The other sector of patients with Irritable bowel syndrome, experience, diarrhea. These people feel sudden uncontrollable urges to have a bowel movement. The last class of people that have both constipation and diarrhea. They alternate between the two conditions. At times a patients symptoms will ease, and then resumed. Others experience a constant worsening over time.

Stress can make IBS worsen. At the same time, it has been found that people, who have the disease, suffer from depression, and anxiety regularly.

Those with IBS should avoid the following, as these will make the symptoms worsen.
Symptoms worsen when:

Stress is increased (can stimulate intestinal spasms). 

When the patient intakes drinks which contain caffeine