Skip to content
WebMD: Better Information. Better Health.
Other search tools:Symptoms|Doctors

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Health Center

IBS Overview

Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS affects up to 55 million Americans, mostly women. IBS causes are unknown. IBS symptoms include diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal cramps. There are IBS treatments such as diet and lifestyle changes and medications that can help.

Select a Chapter

Latest Headlines
Irritable Bowel Syndrome in the Brain
Study: The brains of women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are thin in areas that control hypervigilance, emotion, and pain.
webMD Video

Show or hide information about video: Diarrhea Causes and Treatments   Diarrhea Causes and Treatments

48x48_drossman_diarrhea_overview.jpg

Learning what the most common triggers are for acute diarrhea is the first step in avoiding this sometimes embarrassing problem.

Watch Video: Diarrhea Causes and Treatments (opens in a new window)

Show or hide information about video: IBS Trigger Foods   IBS Trigger Foods

Show or hide information about video: Treating Mild and Severe IBS   Treating Mild and Severe IBS

Show or hide information about video: Effective Medications for IBS   Effective Medications for IBS

Show or hide information about video: IBS or Mind-Triggered Symptoms?   IBS or Mind-Triggered Symptoms?

Popular Slideshows & Tools on WebMD

Thumbnail of young woman touching skin
Shingles, eczema, and more.
Food Frauds Slide Show
Sneaky little diet wreckers.
thumbnail of black widow spider
Identify bugs and their bites.
Erectile Dysfunction Slideshow
Are you at risk?
BHC Diet and Nutrition Health Check
Committed to healthy eating?
Concentration Killers Slideshow
Best ways to focus.
thumbnail for precancerous lesions slideshow
Learn the ABCDEs of skin cancer.
thumbnail for fatigue slideshow
Causes, fixes for fatigue.
27 Ways Pets Can Improve Your Health
How they're good for you.
Vitamin D Slideshow
Nutrition's newest star?

Women's Health Newsletter

Find out what women really need.

WebMD Special Sections