Irritable bowel syndrome is something that no one really wants to talk about, but more people need to hear about.This condition affects an average of 50% of those that visit the gastroenterologist each year. Even if you haven’t gone there yet, it is likely that at some point, you will want to make the journey.The condition is one that is likely to cause you a great deal of pain and discomfort. For that reason, it is imperative to learn all that you can about what irritable bowel syndrome is as well as how it can be relieved. That’s what we aim to do here. But, before you can find relief from irritable bowel syndrome, you must know what it actually is.What Is It?IBS, as it is called for short, is also known as spastic colon. In this condition, individuals will experience pain in their abdomen. The pain is due to a disorder of the function of your bowel. In addition to pain, you may also experience changes in normal bowel habits.IBS SymptomsThere are many symptoms that can be contributed to that of irritated bowel syndrome. Learning about these can help you and your doctor to get a start on what’s wrong. In many cases, IBS symptoms may seem like a normal bowel, but in fact there could be additional problems lurking.The most frequent symptoms include:• Pain in the lower abdomen • Bloating • Pain that is relieved by defecation