Irritable bowel syndrome - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder that affects the large intestine. Signs and symptoms include cramping, abdominal pain, ... COVID-19:Advice,updatesandvaccineoptions Weareopenforsafein-personcare. Learnmore: MayoClinicfactsaboutcoronavirusdisease2019(COVID-19) OurCOVID-19patientandvisitorguidelines,plustrustedhealthinformation Lateston COVID-19vaccination bysite: Arizonapatientvaccinationupdates Arizona, Floridapatientvaccinationupdates Florida, Rochesterpatientvaccinationupdates Rochesterand MayoClinicHealthSystempatientvaccinationupdates MCHS Skiptositenavigation SkiptoContent ThiscontentdoesnothaveanEnglishversion.ThiscontentdoesnothaveanArabicversion. SectionsforIrritablebowelsyndromeSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departmentsCareatMayoClinic Print OverviewIrritablebowelsyndrome(IBS)isacommondisorderthataffectsthelargeintestine.Signsandsymptomsincludecramping,abdominalpain,bloating,gas,anddiarrheaorconstipation,orboth.IBSisachronicconditionthatyou'llneedtomanagelongterm. OnlyasmallnumberofpeoplewithIBShaveseveresignsandsymptoms.Somepeoplecancontroltheirsymptomsbymanagingdiet,lifestyleandstress.More-severesymptomscanbetreatedwithmedicationandcounseling. IBSdoesn'tcausechangesinboweltissueorincreaseyourriskofcolorectalcancer.Products&ServicesBook:MayoCliniconDigestiveHealth SymptomsThesignsandsymptomsofIBSvarybutareusuallypresentforalongtime.Themostcommoninclude: Abdominalpain,crampingorbloatingthatisrelatedtopassingabowelmovement Changesinappearanceofbowelmovement Changesinhowoftenyouarehavingabowelmovement Othersymptomsthatareoftenrelatedincludebloating,increasedgasormucusinthestool. WhentoseeadoctorSeeyourdoctorifyouhaveapersistentchangeinbowelhabitsorothersignsorsymptomsofIBS.Theymayindicateamoreseriouscondition,suchascoloncancer.More-serioussignsandsymptomsinclude: Weightloss Diarrheaatnight Rectalbleeding Irondeficiencyanemia Unexplainedvomiting Difficultyswallowing Persistentpainthatisn'trelievedbypassinggasorabowelmovement   Thereisaproblemwith informationsubmittedforthisrequest.Review/updatethe informationhighlightedbelowandresubmittheform. GetthelatesthealthinformationfromMayoClinicdeliveredtoyourinbox. Subscribeforfreeandreceiveyourin-depthguideto digestivehealth,plusthelatestonhealthinnovationsandnews.Youcanunsubscribeatany time. Emailaddress ErrorEmailfieldisrequired ErrorIncludeavalidemailaddress FirstName(letusknowyourpreferredname) LastName Subscribe LearnmoreaboutMayoClinic’suseofdata. 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Sorrysomethingwentwrongwithyoursubscription Please,tryagaininacoupleofminutes Retry RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic CausesTheprecisecauseofIBSisn'tknown.Factorsthatappeartoplayaroleinclude: Musclecontractionsintheintestine.Thewallsoftheintestinesarelinedwithlayersofmusclethatcontractastheymovefoodthroughyourdigestivetract.Contractionsthatarestrongerandlastlongerthannormalcancausegas,bloatinganddiarrhea.Weakintestinalcontractionscanslowfoodpassageandleadtohard,drystools. Nervoussystem.Abnormalitiesinthenervesinyourdigestivesystemmaycauseyoutoexperiencegreaterthannormaldiscomfortwhenyourabdomenstretchesfromgasorstool.Poorlycoordinatedsignalsbetweenthebrainandtheintestinescancauseyourbodytooverreacttochangesthatnormallyoccurinthedigestiveprocess,resultinginpain,diarrheaorconstipation. Severeinfection.IBScandevelopafterasevereboutofdiarrhea(gastroenteritis)causedbybacteriaoravirus.IBSmightalsobeassociatedwithasurplusofbacteriaintheintestines(bacterialovergrowth). Earlylifestress.Peopleexposedtostressfulevents,especiallyinchildhood,tendtohavemoresymptomsofIBS. Changesingutmicrobes.Examplesincludechangesinbacteria,fungiandviruses,whichnormallyresideintheintestinesandplayakeyroleinhealth.ResearchindicatesthatthemicrobesinpeoplewithIBSmightdifferfromthoseinhealthypeople. TriggersSymptomsofIBScanbetriggeredby: Food.TheroleoffoodallergyorintoleranceinIBSisn'tfullyunderstood.AtruefoodallergyrarelycausesIBS.ButmanypeoplehaveworseIBSsymptomswhentheyeatordrinkcertainfoodsorbeverages,includingwheat,dairyproducts,citrusfruits,beans,cabbage,milkandcarbonateddrinks. Stress.MostpeoplewithIBSexperienceworseormore-frequentsignsandsymptomsduringperiodsofincreasedstress.Butwhilestressmayaggravatesymptoms,itdoesn'tcausethem. MoreInformationIrritablebowelsyndromecareatMayoClinicHowirritablebowelsyndromeaffectsyou RiskfactorsManypeoplehaveoccasionalsignsandsymptomsofIBS.Butyou'remorelikelytohavethesyndromeifyou: Areyoung.IBSoccursmorefrequentlyinpeopleunderage50. Arefemale.IntheUnitedStates,IBSismorecommonamongwomen.EstrogentherapybeforeoraftermenopausealsoisariskfactorforIBS. HaveafamilyhistoryofIBS.Genesmayplayarole,asmaysharedfactorsinafamily'senvironmentoracombinationofgenesandenvironment. Haveanxiety,depressionorothermentalhealthissues.Ahistoryofsexual,physicaloremotionalabusealsomightbeariskfactor. ComplicationsChronicconstipationordiarrheacancausehemorrhoids. Inaddition,IBSisassociatedwith: Poorqualityoflife.ManypeoplewithmoderatetosevereIBSreportpoorqualityoflife.ResearchindicatesthatpeoplewithIBSmissthreetimesasmanydaysfromworkasdothosewithoutbowelsymptoms. Mooddisorders.ExperiencingthesignsandsymptomsofIBScanleadtodepressionoranxiety.DepressionandanxietyalsocanmakeIBSworse. ByMayoClinicStaff IrritablebowelsyndromecareatMayoClinic RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic Diagnosis&treatment Oct.15,2020 Print Shareon:FacebookTwitter Showreferences HadjivasilisA,etal.Newinsightsintoirritablebowelsyndrome:Frompathophysiologytotreatment.AnnalsofGastroenterology.2019;doi:10.20524/aog.2019.0428. Irritablebowelsyndrome.NationalInstituteofDiabetesandDigestiveandKidneyDiseases.https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/irritable-bowel-syndrome/all-content.AccessedAug.28,2020. KellermanRD,etal.Irritablebowelsyndrome.In:Conn'sCurrentTherapy2020.Elsevier;2020.https://www.clinicalkey.com.AccessedAug.28,2020. FeldmanM,etal.Irritablebowelsyndrome.In:SleisengerandFordtran'sGastrointestinalandLiverDisease:Pathophysiology,Diagnosis,Management.11thed.Elsevier;2021.https://www.clinicalkey.com.AccessedAug.28,2020. Irritablebowelsyndrome.AmericanCollegeofGastroenterology.https://gi.org/topics/irritable-bowel-syndrome/.AccessedAug.28,2020. 6tips:IBSandcomplementaryhealthpractices.NationalCenterforComplementaryandIntegrativeHealth.https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/tips/tips-ibs-and-complementary-health-practices.AccessedAug.28,2020. Irritablebowelsyndrome.CanadianSocietyofIntestinalResearch.https://badgut.org/information-centre/a-z-digestive-topics/ibs/.AccessedAug.28,2020. BrownAY.AllscriptsEPSi.MayoClinic.June24,2020. KashyapPC(expertopinion).MayoClinic.Sept.21,2020. Related Howirritablebowelsyndromeaffectsyou Spasticcolon:Whatdoesitmean? AssociatedProcedures Acupuncture Colonoscopy CTscan Flexiblesigmoidoscopy Hypnosis Showmoreassociatedprocedures NewsfromMayoClinic MayoClinicQandA:Irritablebowelsyndromeandlifestylechanges Sept.04,2020,01:00p.m.CDT ScienceSaturday:A'gut-feeling'forhigh-risk,high-rewardresearch Nov.09,2019,02:15p.m.CDT Products&Services Book:MayoCliniconDigestiveHealth MayoClinicinRochester,Minn.,hasbeenrecognizedasthebestGastroenterology&GISurgeryhospitalinthenationfor2021-2022byU.S.News&WorldReport. Learnmoreaboutthistophonor IrritablebowelsyndromeSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departmentsCareatMayoClinic Advertisement MayoClinicdoesnotendorsecompaniesorproducts.Advertisingrevenuesupportsournot-for-profitmission. Advertising&Sponsorship Policy Opportunities AdChoices MayoClinicPress Checkoutthesebest-sellersandspecialoffersonbooksandnewslettersfromMayoClinic. 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