Irritable bowel syndrome, also known as IBS or spastic colon, is a catch-all diagnosis for a constellation of symptoms that present with chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and either frequent diarrhea or constipation. A diagnosis of IBS is based on a lengthy differential diagnosis is completed and no other organic cause for the symptoms can be determined, making IBS a diagnosis of exclusion. Although its causes are unknown, it does tend to present in patients who have had a recent intestinal infection, in those who have suffered a major life stress (such as loss of employment or loss of a spouse), and the elderly. Although it is never fatal, it is incurable and can frequently be dehabilitating.