The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (N C C A M): Part of the National Institutes of Health

NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®

Follow NCCAM: Subscribe to our email update Subscribe to the NCCAM RSS feed Follow NCCAM on TwitterRead our disclaimer about external links Follow NCCAM on FacebookRead our disclaimer about external links

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Diseases that cause the intestine to swell are collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Examples include Crohn’s disease (or enteritis) and ulcerative colitis.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic disorder that interferes with the normal functions of the colon. IBS is characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea.

* Note: PDF files require a viewer such as the free Adobe Reader.