The Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Course has been created to do away with the taboo and provide open, honest, and frank information regarding the symptoms, causes, diagnosis and management of irritable bowel syndrome.

Unfortunately talking about digestion, and the related functions within our bodies, is often considered taboo, which makes increasing awareness about problems that can occur, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a hard task. Written for those with some, little or no previous knowledge or experience of IBS this course will help students to understand the condition, making it easier to manage your own condition or help other to manage theirs.

Please note, however, that this course is designed to provide information and awareness only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Course starts with an introduction to the course itself; enabling students to prepare themselves for what they will learn and how the course is structured, along with what is expected of them.

We then give larger overview of IBS: putting it in context, defining it and discussing its prevalence. Starting with this more rounded knowledge of the condition, students will then be able to understand the specifics in the correct context later in the course.

As a functional disorder of the large intestine, to understand IBS, we must first have an understanding of the digestive system as a whole. As the main contributor to the symptoms of IBS, the large intestine and how it can malfunction. Here students will learn about how gut motility, the brain-gut connection, and gut flora, influence the functioning of the gut.