Lower bowel disorders. 1. Irritable bowel syndrome

The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome tend to occur as a reaction to stress in patients with certain personality attributes, such as depressive tendencies, perfectionism, and meticulousness. Management consists of reassuring the patient through appropriate physical examination and laboratory and radiologic tests that organic disease is not present; explaining the mechanism of his or her pain; and outlining a full treatment regimen with the patient's input.