Which statement best describes irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

Which statement best describes irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

• A. Abnormal motility
• B. Always weight gain
• C. Structural bowel disease
• D. Infectious etiologies

Answer: (B)

Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional bowel disorder where abdominal pain is linked to changes in bowel habits, but there’s no detectable structural disease. The core driving feature is altered gut motility and visceral sensitivity, which explains why people can have diarrhea, constipation, or alternating patterns and why the pain often improves with defecation. Weight usually remains normal, so “always weight gain” isn’t a hallmark; IBS is not caused by structural bowel disease or by infections. In short, the best way to describe IBS is that it revolves around abnormal motility and heightened visceral sensitivity rather than structural changes or infectious causes.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional bowel disorder where abdominal pain is linked to changes in bowel habits, but there’s no detectable structural disease. The core driving feature is altered gut motility and visceral sensitivity, which explains why people can have diarrhea, constipation, or alternating patterns and why the pain often improves with defecation. Weight usually remains normal, so “always weight gain” isn’t a hallmark; IBS is not caused by structural bowel disease or by infections. In short, the best way to describe IBS is that it revolves around abnormal motility and heightened visceral sensitivity rather than structural changes or infectious causes.