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  Irritable Bowel Information Support Association of Australia
  Health Consumer Organisation

  IBIS Australia aims to: - Assist people suffering IBS and their families in dealing with IBS. - Cooperate with the medical profession and where deemed ... View profile

  IBS affects the nerves and muscles of the bowel, and is classified as a functional gastrointestinal disorder. Nerves can become over sensitive and muscles may not work in unison, causing abdominal pain and irregular bowel movements. IBS never leads to or causes more serious conditions like colitis or bowel cancer.
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  Jon Gamble (Naturopath)
  Health Professional

  Jon is author of 'Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome' and "Obstacles to Cure: Toxicity, Deficiency & Infection" - two books for CAM practitioners. Jon specialises ... View profile

  We have identified 17 different types of IBS, all with a different cause. Therefore, when an illness is a ‘syndrome’, like IBS, it is a generic term for many different illnesses,  none of which are adequately diagnosed with conventional pathology tests. Good treatment equals good (or rather accurate) diagnosis. Reply to this post  |  Report
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  Dr Andrew Sutherland (Surgeon (general))
  Health Professional

  I am a specialist colorectal surgeon treating a range of bowel diseases and am committed to providing the best of care for all patients. It ... View profile

  There is no proven underlying cause for Irritable Bowel Syndrome at present.  It is a syndrome characterised by abdominal bloating, pain or cramping, excessive wind, constipation and diarrhoea.  Individuals may experience all or only some of these symptoms.  Bleeding with passing a motion is not a symptom of IBS and may indicate more severe disease and should be investigated appropriately.  Obviously most people will experience the symptoms of IBS at some stage, but people who have persistent or severe symptoms can be considered to have IBS.  
  
  It is important to recognise that these symptoms are non-specific.  That is, they can be cause by a wide variety of conditions and diseases from IBS to coeliac disease, chronic infection (eg giardia), inflammatory bowel disease, food allergies or even bowel cancer.  As such IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion - it should only be made after more serious conditions have been excluded.  This is particularly the case if the symptoms have only developed recently or if you are over the age of 40.
  
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