Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a condition of brain/gut dysfunction where patients experience abdominal pain or discomfort that is decreased after bowel movement. Commonly, bowel movements with this condition will have a diarrheal or constipated consistency and be accompanied by a sense of urgency. Many patients report that stress can play a role in their symptoms and research has shown that a number of psychological and biological variables impact IBS experience.

The IBS Symptom Tracker was developed by a clinical psychologist who specializes in behavioral medicine and GI Dysfunction. Patients commonly have difficulty remembering stressful or anxiety provoking situations that may contribute to their symptoms. One tool that is frequently used in GI clinics is for patients to keep a diary that pairs bowel movement data with data on psychological and biological functioning. Gastroenterologists who work with IBS can also benefit from information obtained in this type of diary as it allows them to track changes in symptoms that occur with medication or lifestyle changes over time.