While they may look similar, IBD and IBS are very different conditions
Difference between IBD and IBS
IBD, known as inflammatory bowel disease, is a chronic disease that causes irritation and inflammation of the lower GI tract (small & large intestine, rectum, anus) whereas IBS, known as irritable bowel syndrome, is characterized by a group of symptoms including abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, etc. IBD and IBS are not connected to each other, and since IBS is only a condition based on symptoms rather than chronic disease, it cannot transform into IBD nor cause cancer. IBD is generally considered a more severe condition than IBS, due to the increased risk factors needing stronger treatments, as well as the generally worse symptoms of IBD, which include bloody stools and inflammation within the bowel seen on a colonoscopy. However, IBS may still significantly reduce quality of life and thus must be taken seriously as a condition.
