Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent digestive illness that affects many people. It causes stomach pains, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation among other symptoms. These tend to come and go throughout time, lasting days, weeks, or months at a time. It is frequently a lifetime issue. However, the periods of irritability are usually quite short—no longer than two years. It is difficult to say how long IBS symptoms will continue once they start. They may be temporary or permanent. Temporary symptoms include cramping, pain, and diarrhea. When you first develop IBS, these symptoms are likely to last only for a few days. Over time, however, they may last for more than two weeks. This is called chronic irritable bowel syndrome (CIBS). The severity of your symptoms may also change over time. For example, you may initially experience diarrhea as your main symptom. But if the cause of your diarrhea is found (such as lactose intolerance), then treatment should be focused on removing the cause, and not all patients will need medication for this condition. If the problem is resolved, then your diarrhea should resolve too. Some patients with IBS may experience intermittent symptoms. These patients will sometimes feel fine and not experience any problems of their own, but occasionally the absence of symptoms is not enough for some people. If this is you, then one day you wake up and find yourself in severe pain or having diarrhea.