Health professionals have reported that up to 20% of the adult population suffer from painful abdominal cramps, often accompanied by bloating, diarrhoea or constipation, without any identifiable physical cause.

This set of unpleasant and painful symptoms has been called Irritable Bowel Syndrome or 'IBS'.

Although medical researchers are still unsure of what exactly causes this syndrome, it remains a serious condition with a strongly negative impact on the sufferer’s quality of life. The unpredictable nature of the pain, diarrhoea and other symptoms may exert a profoundly disturbing influence on the patient’s private and professional life.

This section of the Buscopan^® website looks at the symptoms, potential causes and helpful treatments for this condition.

Find out more about:

• What is IBS?
• The causes of IBS
• The symptoms of IBS
• Ask Dr Dawn