Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common intestinal disorder that is characterized by diarrhea and constipation (or sometimes both), abdominal cramping, pain and discomfort. There is no specific cause for the condition and it is thought to stem from a number of potential factors from micro-organism invasion to an unhealthy lifestyle. Also, although it may have been suggested there is an irritable bowel syndrome cure there is no clinical proof to this effect.

There are a number of recommended treatment approaches that greatly help reduce the symptoms. However, there is still no record of one that can completely eliminate the symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome.

Irritable bowel syndrome is not a disease, but a collaboration of symptoms. It is a functional bowel disorder, which means that there is no disease present, or illness, no damage to cells/ tissues and no abnormalities to the structure of the digestive system.

Treatments for irritable bowel syndrome aim to have the beneficial effects of improving or returning the dysfunction back to normal, including the gastrocolic reflux.

The gastrocolic reflex is an important element of the digestive process. As food enters the stomach, the reflex automatically prepares the colon and the small intestine to begin processing the food and transporting it though the digestive tract.

However, with irritable bowel syndrome, this mechanism is significantly impaired, which is why digested matter can "get blocked" causing constipation or being hastily transported along the intestines due to abnormal contractions causing diarrhea.

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The truth is, since the condition is a syndrome or grouping of symptoms and not a disease, there is no cure for it. The best approach, and one that has been successful for many, is to alleviate the associated symptoms and to reduce the factors that increase the risk of the symptoms returning, and so allow for normal digestive processes to occur.

Treatment should also aim to reduce impact the impact of adverse reactions, lessen intervals between relapses and return the affected person to as close to normal intestinal heath as possible.

Since there is no structural abnormality with this chronic gastrointestinal disorder, surgery is unlikely to treat any dysfunction or correct the gastrocolic reflex. Also, although some medications have been shown to be effective at soothing symptoms, as the cause of IBS is unknown, the main cause of IBS cannot be treated by medication (although some trigger conditions can be parasite infestation).

The best medication approach would be those that aim to reduce the ill effects of pain, cramping, flatulence, diarrhea and constipation. Some individuals may experience a long pause between bouts of IBS, and if this is the case then the actions before and during this pause should be reviewed to identify any specific conditions or actions that relieved the symptoms for the period.

Although there is not an Irritable bowel syndrome cure, Gastroenterologists are still investigating the exact cause of the intestinal abnormality, but at the moment there is still a wide array of possible sources. It is important that any interventions are individualized as each person's IBS symptoms are unique, and the trigger factors need to be addressed individually.