The cause of IBS is unknown and it is not due to structural abnormalities. IBS may be exacerbated by stress or certain foods or beverages, such as alcohol, coffee, chocolate or dairy products. Irritable bowel syndrome is not caused by structural, biochemical, or infectious abnormalities. Rather, IBS is considered a dysregulation, or abnormality of brain-bowel function. In IBS, one may alternately have diarrhea and constipation.
Diarrhea comes from an increased rate of passage of stool through the colon.
Constipation is the result of a decreased speed of stool passing through the colon. Each year, 2.6 million people seek treatment for symptoms related to functional gastrointestinal disorders, and visits to physicians total 3.5 million. Irritable bowel syndrome affects nearly one out of five people in the United States including children, teenagers, young adults, the middle-aged, and the elderly. The average age of onset of irritable bowel syndrome is between 20 and 29 years of age. For an effective, alternative health approach to gaining IBS relief, click here .