Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS is a condition that causes stomach problems or discomfort and irregular bowel movement. Though it is neither fatal nor is it the cause of other chronic abdomen ailments, it can be disconcerting and affect the regular life of a person.

The signs and symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
IBS can be caused due to food habits, stress, lack of sleep, and alterations in gut microbes. Though the symptoms depend on the causes and might vary from person to person, some of the common symptoms are:

Stomach cramps
Good bacteria that resides in your gut, together with your brain, controls your digestion. Irritable Bowel Syndrome disturbs this harmony of coordination, leading to severe strain in the muscles of the digestive system, and causes cramps in the stomach. While the pain is majorly in the upper abdomen, it can also cause pain in the lower abdomen and the entire abdominal region. This pain mostly subsides post the bowel movement.

Diarrhea
One out of 3 patients suffering from IBS, suffers from diarrhea-predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Their primary symptom is excessive bowel movement, and it is twice more than a healthy individual’s bowel movement. Many a time, it is due to stress and can range from the sudden urge to pass stool to watery and loose stool, containing mucus.

Constipation
Another symptom of Irritable Bowel Syndrome is constipation, and one out two individuals suffering from constipation is diagnosed with IBS. Disruption of harmony between the brain and bowel may affect the usual transit time for food to pass through the digestive tract; it can either hasten it or slow it down. If the transit time slackens, the gut starts absorbing extra water from the stool, and thus makes it hard and difficult to pass. At times, you might have only three bowel movements in a week.

Constipation might not always be the sign of IBS, but if you also suffer from the feeling of incomplete bowel movement, post stool discharge or if your stomach ache subsides post stool discharge, then it can be because of IBS.

Diarrhea alternating with constipation
Though contradictory to each other, diarrhea and constipation can alternatively affect the patient. Diarrhea and constipation in Irritable Bowel Syndrome encompass enduring, recurrent abdominal pain. It is this pain which is the major clue that the alterations in bowel movements are not because of any food or diet issue, or infection,  but because of IBS.

If you are experiencing the above symptoms of alternating diarrhea and constipation, it is better to visit a doctor immediately, as it can become severe and painful.

Change in bowel movement
Depending on the transit time of your bowel, your stool will be either hard or loose. While the presence of mucus is frequent, if you find blood in your stool due to its hardening, you should consult a doctor without delay because it can be a sign of some other disease.