Irritable Bowel Syndrome: IBS, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a group of symptoms that affect your digestive system. It's a common but uncomfortable gastrointestinal ... NowschedulingCOVID-19vaccinesforages5+,boostersandthirddoses Scheduleyourappointment COVID-19vaccineFAQs GoingtoaClevelandCliniclocation? Newvisitationguidelines Masksrequiredforpatientsandvisitors(evenifyou'revaccinated) Home / HealthLibrary / Disease&Conditions IrritableBowelSyndrome(IBS) Ifyouhaveirritablebowelsyndrome,orIBS,youmighthaveuncomfortableorpainfulabdominalsymptoms.Constipation,diarrhea,gasandbloatingarecommonIBSsymptoms.IBSdoesn’tdamageyourdigestivetractorraiseyourriskforcoloncancer.Youcanoftencontrolsymptomsthroughdietandlifestylechanges. Appointments216.444.7000 Appointments&Locations ContactUs Overview SymptomsandCauses DiagnosisandTests ManagementandTreatment Prevention Outlook/Prognosis LivingWith IrritableBowelSyndrome(IBS) Overview SymptomsandCauses DiagnosisandTests ManagementandTreatment Prevention Outlook/Prognosis LivingWith BackToTop Overview Whatisirritablebowelsyndrome(IBS)? Irritablebowelsyndrome,orIBS,isagroupofsymptomsthataffectyourdigestivesystem.It’sacommonbutuncomfortablegastrointestinaldisorder.PeoplewithIBSgetexcessivegas,abdominalpainandcramps. WhatisafunctionalGIdisorder? IBSisatypeoffunctionalgastrointestinal(GI)disorder.Theseconditions,alsocalleddisordersofthegut-braininteraction,havetodowithproblemsinhowyourgutandbrainworktogether. Theseproblemscauseyourdigestivetracttobeverysensitive.Theyalsochangehowyourbowelmusclescontract.Theresultisabdominalpain,diarrheaandconstipation. WhatarethedifferenttypesofIBS? ResearcherscategorizeIBSbasedonthetypeofbowelmovementproblemsyouhave.ThekindofIBScanaffectyourtreatment.CertainmedicinesonlyworkforcertaintypesofIBS. Often,peoplewithIBShavenormalbowelmovementssomedaysandabnormalonesonotherdays.ThetypeofIBSyouhavedependsontheabnormalbowelmovementsyouexperience: IBSwithconstipation(IBS-C):Mostofyourpoopishardandlumpy. IBSwithdiarrhea(IBS-D):Mostofyourpoopislooseandwatery. IBSwithmixedbowelhabits(IBS-M):Youhavebothhardandlumpybowelmovementsandlooseandwaterymovementsonthesameday. HowdoesIBSaffectmybody? InpeoplewithIBS,thecolonmuscletendstocontractmorethaninpeoplewithoutthecondition.Thesecontractionscausecrampsandpain.PeoplewithIBSalsotendtohavealowerpaintolerance.ResearchhasalsosuggestedthatpeoplewithIBSmayhaveexcessbacteriaintheGItract,contributingtosymptoms. WhatareothernamesforIBS? YoumayhearthesenamesforIBS: Irritablebowel. Irritablecolon. Spasticcolon. Nervousstomach,sincesymptomsoftenhappenwhenyou’refeelingemotionalstress,tensionandanxiety. WhoisatriskfordevelopingIBS? Theconditionmostoftenoccursinpeopleintheirlateteenstoearly40s.WomencanbetwiceaslikelythanmentogetIBS.IBSmayhappentomultiplefamilymembers. Youmaybeathigherriskifyouhave: FamilyhistoryofIBS. Emotionalstress,tensionoranxiety. Foodintolerance. Historyofphysicalorsexualabuse. Severedigestivetractinfection. WhattriggersIBS? IfyouhaveIBS,youmayhavenoticedthatcertainthingstriggersymptoms.Commontriggersincludesomefoodsandmedication.Emotionalstresscanalsobeatrigger.SomeresearcherssuggestthatIBSisthegut’sresponsetolife’sstressors. HowcommonisIBS? Expertsestimatethatabout10%to15%oftheadultpopulationintheUnitedStateshaveIBS.However,only5%to7%receiveanIBSdiagnosis.It’sthemostcommondiseasethatgastroenterologistsdiagnose. SymptomsandCauses WhatarethecausesofIBS? Researchersdon’texactlyknowwhatcausesIBS.TheythinkacombinationoffactorscanleadtoIBS,including: Dysmotility:ProblemswithhowyourGImusclescontractandmovefoodthroughtheGItract. Visceralhypersensitivity:Extra-sensitivenervesintheGItract. Brain-gutdysfunction:Miscommunicationbetweennervesinthebrainandgut. WhatareIBSsymptoms? SymptomsofIBSinclude: Abdominalpainorcramps,usuallyinthelowerhalfoftheabdomen. Bloating. Bowelmovementsthatareharderorlooserthanusual. Diarrhea,constipationoralternatingbetweenthetwo. Excessgas. Mucusinyourpoop(maylookwhitish). WomenwithIBSmayfindthatsymptomsflareupduringtheirperiods.Thesesymptomsoftenhappenagainandagain,whichcanmakeyoufeelstressedorupset.Asyoulearnmanagementtechniquesandgaincontroloverflare-ups,you’llstarttofeelbetter,physicallyandmentally. DiagnosisandTests HowisIBSdiagnosed? Ifyou’vebeenhavinguncomfortableGIsymptoms,seeyourhealthcareprovider.ThefirststepindiagnosingIBSisamedicalhistoryandaphysicalexam.Yourproviderwillaskyouaboutyoursymptoms: Doyouhavepainrelatedtobowelmovements? Doyounoticeachangeinhowoftenyouhaveabowelmovement? Hastherebeenachangeinhowyourpooplooks? Howoftendoyouhavesymptoms? Whendidyoursymptomsstart? Whatmedicinesdoyoutake? Haveyoubeensickorhadastressfuleventinyourliferecently? Dependingonyoursymptoms,youmayneedotherteststoconfirmadiagnosis.Bloodtests,stoolsamplesandX-rayscanhelpruleoutotherdiseasesthatmimicIBS. WillIneedacolonoscopy? Dependingonyoursymptoms,medicalhistoryandotherfactors,yourprovidermayrecommendaflexiblesigmoidoscopyorcolonoscopytoexamineyourcoloninmoredetail.Thesetwooutpatientproceduresaresimilar.Thedifferenceisthatasigmoidoscopyexaminesjustthelowerhalfofthecolon.Acolonoscopyexaminestheentirecolon. Aflexiblesigmoidoscopycanhelpevaluateboweldisorders,rectalbleedingorpolyps.Yourproviderwill: Insertasigmoidoscope,along,thin,flexibleinstrument,intotherectum. Advancethesigmoidoscopetothecolon. Viewtheliningoftherectumandlowerpartofthecolon. Here’swhatyoucanexpectduringacolonoscopy.Yourproviderwill: Insertthecolonoscopethroughtherectum. Advancethescopeandexaminetheentirecolon. Removesmallamountsoftissueforabiopsy(ifnecessary). Identifyandremovesmallgrowthscalledpolyps(ifnecessary). Often,providerscanmakeanaccuratediagnosisandevendelivertreatmentusingacolonoscopy.Acolonoscopyisamuchlessinvasiveprocedurecomparedtoanabdominaloperation. DoIneedtoseeagastroenterologist? IfyouhaveIBSsymptoms,firsttalktoyourprimarycarephysicianorregularhealthcareprovider.Yourprovidermayreferyoutoagastroenterologist. Agastroenterologistisadoctorwhospecializesindiagnosingandtreatingdiseasesofthedigestivesystem,including: IBS. Colorectal(colon)cancer. Liverdisease. Swallowingandesophagealdisorders. Pancreasdisorders. ManagementandTreatment WhatisIBStreatment? Nospecifictherapyworksforeveryone,butmostpeoplewithIBScanfindatreatmentthatworksforthem.YourhealthcareproviderwillpersonalizeyourIBStreatmentplanforyourneeds.Typicaltreatmentoptionsincludedietaryandlifestylechanges.Adietitiancanhelpyoucreateadietthatfitsyourlife. Manypeoplefindthatwiththesechanges,symptomsimprove: Dietarychanges: Increasefiberinyourdiet—eatmorefruits,vegetables,grainsandnuts. Addsupplementalfibertoyourdiet,suchasMetamucil®orCitrucel®. Drinkplentyofwater—eight8-ounceglassesperday. Avoidcaffeine(fromcoffee,chocolate,teasandsodas). Limitcheeseandmilk.LactoseintoleranceismorecommoninpeoplewithIBS.Makesuretogetcalciumfromothersources,suchasbroccoli,spinach,salmonorsupplements. TrythelowFODMAPdiet,aneatingplanthatcanhelpimprovesymptoms. Activitychanges: Exerciseregularly. Don’tsmoke. Tryrelaxationtechniques. Eatsmallermealsmoreoften. RecordthefoodsyoueatsoyoucanfigureoutwhichfoodstriggerIBSflare-ups.Commontriggersareredpeppers,greenonions,redwine,wheatandcow’smilk. Medicalchanges: Yourprovidermayprescribeantidepressantmedicationsifyouhavedepressionandanxietyalongwithsignificantabdominalpain. Othermedicinescanhelpwithdiarrhea,constipationorabdominalpain. Probioticsmaybeanoptionforyou.These“goodbacteria”canhelpimprovesymptoms. Talktoyourproviderifyoursymptomsdon’timprove.Youmayneedmoreteststoseeifanunderlyingconditioniscausingthesymptoms. Whathappensifmedicationsdon’twork? Insomecases,symptomsdon’trespondtomedicaltreatment.Yourprovidermayreferyouformentalhealththerapies.Somepatientsfindreliefthrough: Cognitivebehavioraltherapy(CBT). Hypnotherapy. Biofeedback. Prevention CanIpreventIBS? SincethereisnoknowncauseforIBS,youcan’tpreventoravoidit.IfyouhaveIBS,youcankeepsymptomsfromflaringupbyavoidingtriggers. HowcanIcontrolIBS? ItmaybefrustratingtryingtogetahandleonIBS.Treatmentcanoftenbetrialanderror.ButthegoodnewsisthatnearlyeveryonewithIBScanfindatreatmentthathelpsthem. Usually,dietandactivitychangesimprovesymptomsovertime.Youmayneedsomepatienceasyoufigureoutyourtriggerssoyoucantakestepstoavoidthem.Butafterafewweeksormonths,youshouldnoticesignificantimprovementinhowyoufeel.Anutritionistcanhelpyouplanahealthy,fillingdietthatmeetsyourneeds. Outlook/Prognosis IfIhaveIBS,doesthatmeanI’mmorelikelytodevelopseriousgastrointestinalproblems? No,IBSdoesn’tputyouathigherriskofdevelopingconditionssuchascolitis,Crohn’sdiseaseorcoloncancer. IsIBSfatal? IBSisnotlife-threatening.Livingwiththisconditioncanbechallengingbecauseitcancomeandgothroughoutyourlife.ButtherearemanywaystomanageandlivewithIBS. IsthereacureforIBS? There’snocureforIBS.Thegoaloftreatmentistocontrolandmanagesymptoms. LivingWith WhenshouldIseeahealthcareprovider? Seeyourproviderifyouhavesymptomsmorethanthreetimesamonthformorethanthreemonths.Andifyouhavesymptomslessoften,buttheyinterferewithyourlife,it’sagoodideatotalktoyourprovider. Somesymptomsmaypointtoamoreseriousproblem.Contactyourproviderassoonaspossibleifyouhave: Bleeding. Fever. Weightloss. Severepain. HowcanIbesttakecareofmyselfifIhaveIBS? IBSwilllikelybewithyouforlife.Butitdoesn’tshortenyourlifespan,andyouwon’tneedsurgerytotreatit.Tofeelyourbest,trytoidentifyandavoidyourtriggers,includingcertainfoods,medicationsandstressfulsituations.Adietitiancanhelpyouplananutritiousdietaroundyourspecificneeds.Talktoyourhealthcareproviderifsymptomsdon’timprove. WhatelseshouldIaskmyhealthcareprovider? IfyouhaveIBSsymptoms,askyourprovider: Couldanotherconditionbecausingmysymptoms? Whatmedicationscanhelp? WhatfoodsshouldIavoid? WhatotherlifestylechangesshouldImake? Canadietitianhelpme? ShouldIseeagastroenterologist? WhenwillIstarttofeelbetter? AmIatriskforotherhealthconditions? AnotefromClevelandClinic Livingwithirritablebowelsyndrome,orIBS,canbechallenging.IBSsymptoms,suchasstomachpain,diarrhea,gasandbloating,ofteninterferewithyourlife.ButIBSismanageable.Thoughthereisnocure,youcancontrolandimprovesymptomsthroughdietandlifestylechanges.Ifyouhavestomachsymptomsthataren’tgoingaway,talktoyourhealthcareprovider.Together,youcanfindanIBStreatmentplanthatworksforyou. Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Getuseful,helpfulandrelevanthealth+wellnessinformation enews ClevelandClinicisanon-profitacademicmedicalcenter.Advertisingonoursitehelpssupportourmission.Wedonotendorsenon-ClevelandClinicproductsorservices. Policy RelatedInstitutes&Services DigestiveDisease&SurgeryInstitute Findthelatestinformationfromthegloballyrecognizedleaderindigestivediagnosis,treatmentsandsurgicalinnovations. ClevelandClinicisanon-profitacademicmedicalcenter.Advertisingonoursitehelpssupportourmission.Wedonotendorsenon-ClevelandClinicproductsorservices. 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