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Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is very common.

Around 30 million people in the United States have IBS.¹ Between 10 in 100 and 15 in 100 people have the condition.² Twice as many women have IBS as men.

There are up to 3.5 million visits to a physician each year for IBS. And more than 2 million prescriptions are written for IBS.³

However we're not sure about these numbers. This is because doctors diagnose IBS in different ways. The estimates of how many people have it vary depending on how researchers diagnose it.⁴ And most people who have symptoms of IBS seem to cope with it themselves rather than getting help from their doctor. Although IBS is very common, only about 5 percent of people see a doctor because of it.²

Unlike lots of other long-term conditions, IBS tends to appear when people are young or middle-aged, rather than older. Symptoms begin before the age of 50 in half of all people who are diagnosed with IBS. About 4 in 10 people with IBS are between 35 and 50.⁵

Children can get IBS too. Lots of people can trace the start of their symptoms back to childhood.⁵ Symptoms of IBS have been found in 6 percent of 12 to 13 year olds, and in 14 percent of 15 to 16 year olds.⁵

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.