A 21-year-old receptionist comes to your clinic, complaining of frequent diarrhea. she states that the stools are very loose and there is some cramping beforehand. she states this has occurred on and off since she was in high school. she denies any nausea, vomiting, or blood in her stool. occasionally she has periods of constipation, but that is rare. she thinks the diarrhea is much worse when she is nervous. her past medical history is not significant. she is single and a junior in college majoring in accounting. she smokes when she drinks alcohol but denies using any illegal drugs. both of her parents are healthy. her entire physical examination is unremarkable. what is most likely the etiology of her diarrhea?

A 21-year-old receptionist comes to your clinic, complaining of frequent diarrhea. She states that the stools are very loose and there is some cramping beforehand. She also states this has occurred on and off since she was in high school. She denies any nausea, vomiting, or blood in her stool, but occasionally she has periods of constipation, but that is rare. She thinks the diarrhea is much worse when she is nervous and her past medical history is not significant. She is single and a junior in college majoring in accounting. She smokes when she drinks alcohol but denies using any illegal drugs. Both of her parents are healthy and her entire physical examination is unremarkable. Therefore, the most likely etiology of her diarrhea is irritable bowel syndrom. This is a medical disorder that matches the receptionist's symptoms. However, treatment can help, but there is not an actual cure.