Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a very common chronic condition.  The most common symptoms of IBS are crampy abdominal pain, painful diarrhea or constipation, and abdominal bloating.  The cause of IBS is unknown.  Many of my patients suffer from it.  The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has an informative website about the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of IBS. Last month the...