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Irritable bowel syndrome

Low urgency
Common-

Chronic disease of the digestive system that develops with chronic abdominal pain and bowel dysfunction.

There is no known cause.

It manifests itself intermittently over months with abdominal pain, diarrhoea, bloating with gas and a feeling of fullness in the stomach.

Diagnosis is made by ruling out other diseases if all diagnostic tests are normal.

Treatment is based on symptom control and psychotherapy.

Bibliographic references
  1. Arnold Wald. Pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome. UpToDate. Aug 11, 2016.
  2. Drossman DA, Camilleri M, Mayer EA, Whitehead WE. AGA technical review on irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology 2002; 123:2108.
  3. Houghton LA, Lea R, Agrawal A, et al. Relationship of abdominal bloating to distention in irritable bowel syndrome and effect of bowel habit. Gastroenterology 2006; 131:1003.
  4. E. Ros rahola. Trastornos de la motilidad intestinal. Síndrome del intestino irritable. Farreras Rozman. Medicina Interna. Volumen I. Duodécima edición. 130:131.
  5. Chung Owyang. Síndrome de colon irritable. Harrison. Principios de Medicina Interna. Volumen 2. 19ª Edición. 1965:1970.
Author
Dr. Oscar Garcia-Esquirol
Copyright
© TeckelMedical 2026

Symptoms

    Increased bowel movements

    Abdominal pain improves after passing stools and/or wind

    Abdominal flatulence

    Diarrhoea

    Lower abdominal pain

Symptoms to watch out for

Fever (temperature higher than 38 ºC)
Abdominal pain that does not subside with usual treatment
Symptom persistence during the first month of treatment.

Self-care

It is recommended to maintain a balanced diet, consume hydrosoluble fibers (fruits and vegetables), avoid food that produced gas (beans, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli), carbonated beverages with preservatives, synthetic sweeteners, and refined sugar.
Engage in regular physical activity, adapted to age and physical condition, at least 3 times a week.
If there is diarrhoea, check with your general practitioner about the prescription for antidiarrhoeals.
Check with your general practitioner about the prescription for laxatives.
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