Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of bowel function (as opposed to being due to an anatomic abnormality). Patients who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome have changes in bowel habits such as constipation or diarrhea, and abdominal pain along with other symptoms including abdominal bloating, and rectal urgency with diarrhea. In addition, irritable bowel syndrome may be associated with a number of non-intestinal (“extraintestinal symptoms”), such as difficulty with sexual function (pain on intercourse or lack of libido), muscle aches and pains, fatigue, fibromyalgia syndrome, headaches, back pain, and sometimes urinary symptoms including urinary urgency, urinary hesitation or a feeling of spasm in the bladder.
