Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects as many as one out of five people around the world, a disturbance affecting the large intestines ranging from chronic diarrhea or constipation to mild to severe cramping and bloating.
Three kinds of IBS affects patients, including diarrhea predominant, constipation predominant and those who alternate between bouts of diarrhea and constipation.
IBS affects more women than men and although considerable study has been undertaken about this digestive system disorder, no definitive cause has been uncovered, although many factors are pointed to as contributing causes of the disturbance.
Research indicates that IBS is not brought about by stressful conditions in the patient's lifestyle.
Psychological causes have also been discounted.
What is known for sure is that IBS is caused by the abnormal functioning of the nerves and muscles controlling the bowels.
Some people exhibiting symptoms of IBS have abnormal movements of the lower intestine, ranging from too quick to too slow, but this is not true of everyone diagnosed with IBS.
Some IBS sufferers have developed symptoms following an episode of gasteroenteritis, an inflammation of the gasterointestinal tract, but this cause does not hold true for all those who experience IBS symptoms.
Food allergies have been found to trigger IBS episodes in some individuals, although this sensitivity does not hold true as a cause for IBS across the board.
Although no one definitive cause has been determined for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, medication, as well as a change in dietary habits including elimination of dairy products and high-fiber foods that cause gases and bloating such as beans and cabbage tend to help ease the syndrome.