Symptoms of Irritable Bowel

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF IBS
Irritable bowel syndrome, a condition marked by diarrhea,
constipation and abdominal pain, is caused by excessive
spasms of the large intestine. (It is also known as spastic
colon, nervous bowel, irritable colon and mucous colitis.)

SYMPTOMS
The abdominal discomfort of an irritable bowel ranges from
sharp, cramping-like pains to a continuous, dull ache. It
is often relieved by a bowel movement. The lower left part
of the abdomen may be tender to the touch. The abdominal
pain usually appears after eating, although no particular
food or type of food can be identified as the cause.

There is also usually diarrhea, sometimes alternating with
constipation. The diarrhea typically occurs immediately
after a meal or when getting up in the morning, and there
is often mucus in the stool. In addition, there may be
other, less definite symptoms, such as fatigue, anxiety
and difficulty in concentrating.

These symptoms may last for a few days or weeks and then
cease for months at a time. Also, they may recur with
varying degrees of intensity, over a long period.