A person with IBS has a digestive system that does not function properly, even though nothing appears to be medically wrong. This state of affairs can be quite frustrating if you suffer from abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation. You may wish for more certain answers about the cause of your symptoms, but the reality is they are not always available. Going down the rabbit hole of the internet will quickly turn up a long list of scary conditions that have these symptoms, too. Although it’s natural to be concerned about these other possibilities, especially if you’ve known someone with inflammatory bowel disease or some sort of cancer, I’d like to help settle your nerves with this post.