الفهرس 
IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROMEOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS or spastic colon) is a diagnosis of exclusion. It is a functional bowel disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits in the absence of any detectable organic cause (Mayer et al, 2008). In some cases, the symptoms are relieved by bowel movements. Diarrhea or constipation may predominate, or they may alternate (classified as IBS-D, IBS-C or IBS-A, respectively). IBS may begin after an infection (post-infectious, IBS-PI), a stressful life event, or onset of maturity without any other medical indicators.
Although there is no cure for IBS, there are treatments that attempt to relieve symptoms, including dietary adjustments, medication and psychological interventions. Patient education and a good doctor-patient relationship are also important. (Ledochowski, 2001).
IBS does not lead to more serious conditions in most patients (Minderhoud et al, 2004), (Quigley et al, 2005). However, it is a source of chronic pain, fatigue, and other symptoms and contributes to work absenteeism (Paré et al, 2006), (Maxion-Bergemann et al, 2006). Researchers have reported that the high prevalence of IBS, in conjunction with increased costs, produces a disease with a high societal cost (Hulisz, 2004). It is also regarded as a chronic illness and can dramatically affect the quality of a sufferer’s life.