Irritable Bowel Syndrome: a.k.a. IBS
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a group of symptoms including abdominal pain and changes in the pattern of bowel movements.
It has been classified into four main types depending on whether diarrhea is common (IBS- D), constipation is common (IBS-C), both are common (IBS-M), or neither occurs very often (IBS-U).
Signs and symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain or discomfort with frequent diarrhea or constipation and a change in bowel habits. Symptoms usually are experienced as acute attacks that subside within one day, but recurrent attacks are likely. There may also be urgency for bowel movements, a feeling of incomplete evacuation (tenesmus), bloating, or abdominal distension.
In some cases, the symptoms are relieved by bowel movements. People with IBS, more commonly than others, have gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) symptoms relating to genitourinary system, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, headache, backache, depression and anxiety.