Today, one of the most common problems doctors see associated with the gastrointestinal system is called Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS.  Typically, a person with this health problem will experience a wide range of problems such as cramping, excessive gas, diarrhea or constipation, bloating, and pain.  While IBS was at one time thought to be a psychological problem, medical researchers now understand this is a very real and painful disorder that can cause complete debilitation.

If you’ve read about the symptoms and think you may have Irritable Bowel Syndrome , it may be time to see your doctor for a diagnosis. He or she may refer you to a gastroenterologist, a digestive track doctor, who can ask more directed questions and perform more tests. These specialists know what they are doing – 28% of the patients they see have IBS.

With the discomfort associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, millions of people are seeking easy IBS relief. But because the cause of Irritable Bowl Syndrome is unknown, there is unfortunately no known cure. Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome focuses on controlling the symptoms with a combination of medication and lifestyle adjustments, including diet and stress-management. Often, these lifestyle changes can provide relief from IBS symptoms. But in more severe cases, these changes can be supplemented with medication. Luckily, bowel surgery is not in the picture.

Does a fight with your husband bring on the cramps? Maybe things get intense at work, and you find yourself spending more time in the bathroom. Perhaps a life-changing event, such as a divorce or a child’s premature death, brought on your Irritable Bowel symptoms in the first place.

Need relief from cramping as soon as humanly possible? Are your symptoms debilitating and you’re searching for ways to get them under control? Or, do you want to build up your system so that you stay pain-free and out of the bathroom?

After you eat certain foods, do you notice your IBS symptoms getting worse? Within a half hour of eating it, a curry dish can send you to straight to the bathroom. Fried chicken can have you doubled over in pain. Other foods may have you sitting on the toilet for a half hour – with no result.