Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) are different from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), that is a condition that includes a group of symptoms mainly affecting the colon, or large intestine. Symptoms of IBS may include crampy pain, bloating, gas, mucus in the stool, and changes in bowel habits. IBS is also called spastic colon or spastic bowel. IBS is not a disease and does not cause inflammation, bleeding, damage to the bowel, or cancer or other serious diseases. It is called a functional disorder, which means that there is no sign of disease when the colon is examined, but the bowel doesn't work as it should. There is no direct relationship between IBS and either UC or CD, although some people with UC or CD also have IBS.