There are two main types of syndromes associated with the irritable bowel syndrome: diarrheic episodes and constipation periods. When the main syndrome is diarrhea, it is preceded by abdominal pain and discomfort, a feeling of bloating and gas. The frequency of watery stools is more frequent than a normal person's stool. Because people have different amounts of bowel movements from three per day to three per week, defining "frequent" loose stools should be compared with the person's normal frequency.
If the main symptom associated with the irritable bowel syndrome is constipation, it is also accompanied by abdominal pain and a bloating sensation. Because the fecal material travels too slow through the gastro intestinal system, the person's stools and the stools are hard to pass.
It is not necessary to have only one of the symptoms above. The sufferer may witness both diarrhea and constipation in the same week, but the abdominal pain is usually present. However, medics should be careful to examine the patient thoroughly because there are many gastro intestinal conditions whose main symptom is abdominal pain. For example, the medic can say that the person is suffering from the irritable bowel syndrome if the bowel movement relieves the pain.
Specialists still cannot tell exactly what causes the irritable bowel syndrome in adults and children. Patients can ease their effort in establishing a precise diagnosis by keeping a journal in which they note the foods they have eaten previously to the apparition of the symptoms and the symptoms themselves. This is useful as there are a series of aliments and beverages that are known to irritate the gastro intestinal system: caffeine, alcohol, carbonated juices. However, drinking these beverages does not cause the disease, but only accentuate the symptoms. Some people have special food sensitivities (such as lactose or fructose intolerant persons) and when they eat such foods, they can witness similar symptoms. This is where a daily foods and beverages journal can tell medics if the patient is indeed suffering from the irritable bowel syndrome or another condition with similar symptoms. If people who know are sensitive to certain aliments keep away from them, they can avoid these sorts of symptoms.
Not all people suffer from the IBS in equal measures. Those aged 20 to 40 are more predisposed to developing the condition and women tend to suffer from it more frequently than men do. This led some medics to believe that the irritable bowel syndrome symptoms could be related to monthly changes in hormonal levels, but this is not certain. Studies have shown that many people suffering from the IBS also suffer from high levels of stress and they recommend some sort of stress relieving treatments.
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