IBS Symptoms, Causes, Risk Factors, and Complications

 IBS Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome can vary widely from person to person and often resemble those of other diseases. Among the most common are:
  • Abdominal pain or cramping
  • A bloated feeling
  • Gas (flatulence)
  • Diarrhea or constipation — sometimes even alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea
  • Mucus in the stool
Like many people, you may have only mild signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. However, sometimes these problems can be disabling. In some cases, you may have severe signs and symptoms that don't respond well to medical treatment. Because symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome can occur with other more serious diseases, it's best to discuss these symptoms with your doctor.

For most people, IBS is a chronic condition, although there will likely be times when the signs and symptoms are worse and times when they improve or even disappear completely.

IBS Causes
Doctors don't know the exact cause of IBS. One theory is that the signals between the brain and intestines are somehow disrupted. This miscommunication may cause abnormal intestinal muscle contractions (seen on the right) that result in cramping, pain, and fluctuations in the speed of digestion. Patients have no sign of inflamed or damaged tissue or structural abnormalities in the digestive tract.

IBS Risk factors
Many people have occasional signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. However, you're more likely to have IBS if you:
  • Are young. IBS symptoms first appear before the age of 35 for about half of those with the disorder.
  • Are female. More women than men are diagnosed with this condition.
  • Have a family history of IBS. Studies have shown that people who have a first-degree relative — such as a parent or sibling — with IBS are at increased risk of the condition. It's not clear whether the influence of family history on IBS risk is related to genes, to shared factors in a family's environment, or both.
IBS Complications
IBS isn't associated with any serious conditions, such as colon cancer. But, diarrhea and constipation, both signs of irritable bowel syndrome, can aggravate or even cause hemorrhoids.