Irritable bowel syndrome is often times more of a nuisance than it is serious in nature although symptoms can sometimes be so severe that they stop patients from being able to work and travel. Symptoms vary widely from one person to the other and can range from mild stomach cramps to severe diarrhea and even occasionally constipation and bloating.

Although Irritable bowel syndrome is not known to cause permanent harm to the intestines or lead to any other serious diseases is often hard to get under control. Many Physicians advise patients to undergo stress management as high levels of stress tend to aggravate the condition. Some people can even control their belts of Irritable bowel syndrome through diet and moderate exercise however some of the more severe cases can be quite disabling and require prescribe medications.

While there is much debate in the medical community as to what actually causes IBS many believe some people are more prone to have a sensitivity of the colon and large intestines and react more strongly to certain foods and levels of stress. In some cases a weak immune system can also leave people more susceptible to attacks of IBS.

Some recent studies have shown that lower levels of serotonin that sends messages from one area of the body to the other may be overreacted in some patients giving them a higher level of pain and discomfort to food and stress that others wouldn’t be affected by. There’ve been some links to a mild celiac disease and symptoms similar to IBS are caused by much the same reasons although more specifically to not being able to digest gluten a common substance found in wheat, rye, and barely breads and other products made with these grains.

IBS can be somewhat hard to diagnose as there are no accurate tests and the best way for your physician to determine a case of IBS is through the very careful an accurate description of your symptoms. Sometimes it is diagnosed through a process of elimination for other diseases that could mimic the symptoms of IBS.

Other specific symptoms include:

• Abdominal pain and last for more than 12 weeks out of a 12 month. This period of time does not have to be in one consecutive group, but can be any combination of days accumulating into a 12 week period.
• Abdominal pain that is relieved by a bowel movement.
• A change in the frequency or appearance of bowel movements.
• Constipation
• Mucus or blood in stool.
• And possibly bloating.

Some symptoms that are not commonly associated with IBS are bleeding, unexplained weight loss, or fevers. Presence of these symptoms may indicate more severe problems and possibly even cancer.

Large meals, certain medicines, grain products and dairy products as well as drinks with caffeine are all dietary issues that can complicate IBS. Patients with the artful bowel syndrome should actively seek to alleviate stress and anxiety from their lives and these can greatly aggravate the condition. If patients find themselves feeling depressed and anxious due to the symptoms of IBS they should seek the help of their physician.