ABSTRACT
Diarrhoea and abdominal pain have been experienced, to varying extent, by virtually everyone. Often the symptoms are transient, possibly infective in origin, following a ‘good night out’. Functional bowel disorder (FBD), often referred to as ‘irritable bowel syndrome’ (IBS), is the most commonly diagnosed gastrointestinal condition affecting 10–15% of the population. It is characterised by altered bowel habit, either diarrhoea or constipation or a combination along with chronic abdominal pain, abdominal bloating and rectal hypersensitivity. FBD can present with an array of symptoms that can mimic other, more sinister gastrointestinal problems, especially in patients over 45 years of age. FBD mimics many common gastrointestinal conditions, and basic investigations should be aimed at excluding more sinister pathology, especially in the older patient.
