الفهرس 
Introduction and RationaleOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the commonest of the functional gastrointestinal disorders, with an estimated prevalence of 10%. It is a chronic, relapsing and often life-long disorder, characterized by the presence of abdominal pain/discomfort associated with defaecation, a change in bowel habit, the sensation of abdominal distension, and may include associated noncolonic symptoms.
IBS is classified as a functional gastrointestinal disorder, referring to the chronicityand recurrent nature of symptoms which have no obvious structural or biochemical basis. It is a chronic condition including symptoms of abdominal pain or discomfort temporally related to disordered bowel habit. Most patients with IBS experience symptoms that are reasonably short‐lived but that trouble them on an intermittent basis. However, some patients develop chronic and severe symptoms that are difficult to treat.