Females predominate, especially among the most severely affected patients.
IBS accounts for enormous direct medical costs as well as work absenteeism and other indirect costs. It is one of the most common diagnoses in primary care practice. Pathogenesis IBS is not explainable on structural or biochemical grounds. Diagnosis IBS usually can be diagnosed confidently by a typical history and limited laboratory and structural evaluation. Careful attention to the description of pain and bowel habit is critical.