Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common disorders of gut-brain interaction, characterised by recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel habits, constipation, diarrhoea, or a combination of both. It affects approximately 9–23% of the global population, with prevalence varying by geography and diagnostic criteria. In North America and Western countries, prevalence ranges between 10–20%, while population-based data from India suggest rates of 6.9% in women and 7.9% in men.
Abdominal pain is the hallmark of IBS and a key driver of disability, fluctuating in severity and often linked to defecation. Its mechanisms are multifactorial, including visceral hypersensitivity, abnormal motility, altered intestinal permeability, and brain-gut axis dysregulation.