Irritable bowel syndrome is a condition to manage rather than cure.

Getting through a period of severe symptoms often takes a few weeks. However, a pattern of reappearing when a stressful situation comes or eating habits go out of order is common.

So it is more realistic to set the goal at lengthening the symptom-free periods and keeping daily life undisturbed.

We follow the course by the number of episodes of abdominal pain, whether there are times you cannot make plans because of the toilet, and how much of the day the bloating lasts.

However, if there are bloody stools, night-time diarrhoea, weight loss, fever, anaemia, a symptom arising for the first time after the age of fifty, or a family history of colorectal cancer, we do not regard it as irritable bowel syndrome, so please be sure to tell us at the consultation. If examination indicates it, we will arrange a bowel investigation.