If you are unsure if you have irritable bowel syndrome, the symptoms typical for this chronic condition include: - Cramping - Abdominal pain - Constipation - Bloating - Gas - Diarrhea It’s pretty common for patients dealing with irritable bowel syndrome to have episodes of not only constipation but diarrhea as well. Depending on the severity of irritable bowel syndrome, the symptoms can be persistent to resolve then come back again, or they can be continuous. It has been seen that women tend to have more symptoms around their time of menstruation, and menopausal women have fewer symptoms than those who are menstruating. At this point in time, there is no exact main cause of irritable bowel syndrome; however, doctors do believe there is a mix between issues with your gestational tract which can commonly lead to irritable bowel syndrome. Other health problems which can lead to irritable bowel syndrome include: - Stress - Mental health issues - Reaction to food or beverages consumed - Increase or even a change in the bacteria in your small intestine - A bacterial infection located in the gestational tract - Abnormal nerves located in your gestational tract that are sensitive - Issues processing foods A breakdown in how the brain sends signals to the intestines