Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common digestive condition that can make everyday life uncomfortable and unpredictable.
If you often deal with stomach pain, bloating, or sudden changes in your bathroom habits, you might be one of the millions of Americans living with IBS.
What Is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
IBS is a chronic disorder that affects the large intestine, causing a variety of symptoms that can wax and wane over time. Unlike some digestive diseases, IBS doesn’t cause visible damage to the intestines, but it can certainly make you feel miserable.
It’s considered a functional gastrointestinal disorder, meaning it’s related to problems with how your gut works rather than structural abnormalities.
Types of IBS
Not all IBS is created equal. In fact, healthcare providers usually classify IBS into three main types, based on the predominant bowel habits:
- IBS with constipation (IBS-C): Hard, lumpy stools most of the time.
- IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D): Loose, watery stools most of the time.
- IBS with mixed bowel habits (IBS-M): Alternating between constipation and diarrhea.
Some people may also experience IBS that doesn’t fit neatly into these categories, but these three types are the most commonly recognized.
Common Symptoms
IBS is notorious for its unpredictable symptoms. Some days might be smooth sailing, while others can feel like you’re riding a roller coaster. The most common symptoms include:
- Abdominal pain or cramping, often relieved by having a bowel movement
- Bloating and gas
- Changes in stool appearance (hard, lumpy, or loose and watery)
- Changes in bowel habits (diarrhea, constipation, or both)
Other symptoms can include mucus in the stool, a feeling of incomplete bowel movement, and increased urgency. Symptoms often flare up after eating and can be triggered by stress, certain foods, or hormonal changes.
What Causes IBS?
The exact cause of IBS remains a bit of a mystery, but researchers believe it’s a combination of factors.
Some of the main contributors include:
- Abnormal muscle contractions in the intestine: These can be stronger or weaker than normal, leading to diarrhea or constipation.
- Nervous system dysfunction: Problems with the nerves in your digestive tract may cause you to experience more discomfort than others.
- Inflammation in the intestines: Some people with IBS have increased numbers of immune-system cells in their intestines.
- Severe infection: IBS can develop after a bout of severe diarrhea (gastroenteritis) caused by bacteria or a virus.
- Changes in gut microbes: Differences in the bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live in the intestines may play a role.
Stress and anxiety don’t cause IBS, but they can certainly make symptoms worse. Hormonal changes, especially in women, are also linked to symptom flare-ups.
How Is IBS Diagnosed?
Diagnosing IBS isn’t always straightforward because there’s no specific test for it. Instead, healthcare providers rely on a combination of your medical history, a physical exam, and a review of your symptoms.
They may use criteria such as the Rome IV criteria, which require recurrent abdominal pain at least one day per week in the last three months, along with changes in stool frequency or appearance.
Sometimes, your provider may order blood tests, stool tests, or even a colonoscopy to rule out other conditions like celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease. This process of elimination helps ensure nothing more serious is at play.
Healthcare professionals urge those who have persistent changes in bowel habits or other IBS symptoms to get checked. Early diagnosis can help you manage symptoms and improve your quality of life.
Treatment Options
While there’s no cure for IBS, there are plenty of ways to manage the symptoms and keep them from running your life. Treatment is highly individualized, often involving a combination of lifestyle changes, dietary adjustments, and sometimes medication.
Lifestyle and Diet Changes
- Dietary adjustments: Many people find relief by identifying and avoiding trigger foods. Common culprits include dairy, gluten, caffeine, and high-gas foods like beans and cabbage. Some benefit from a low FODMAP diet, which limits certain carbohydrates that can be hard to digest.
- Regular exercise: Physical activity can help regulate bowel function and reduce stress.
- Stress management: Techniques like yoga, meditation, and counseling can help keep symptoms in check.
Medications
- Fiber supplements: These can help with constipation.
- Laxatives or anti-diarrheal medications: Depending on your symptoms, these may be recommended.
- Antispasmodics: These medications can help reduce abdominal pain and cramping.
- Antidepressants: Low doses of certain antidepressants can help manage pain and bowel symptoms, even if you’re not depressed.
- Newer medications: For those with severe symptoms, drugs like linaclotide, lubiprostone, or rifaximin may be prescribed.
It’s important to work closely with your healthcare provider to find the right combination of treatments for you. Sometimes, it’s a bit of trial and error — finding what works can be like searching for a needle in a haystack.
When to See a Healthcare Professional
Don’t ignore persistent changes in your bowel habits, especially if you notice weight loss, rectal bleeding, unexplained vomiting, or severe pain. These could be signs of something more serious. Healthcare professionals, including those trained through post master’s certificate nurse practitioner online programs, are equipped to help you sort out what’s going on and get you on the road to feeling better.
Managing IBS can be frustrating, but most people find that with the right strategies, they can keep their symptoms under control and live a full, active life. Don’t be afraid to seek support. Sometimes, just having someone listen can make all the difference.
By working with your healthcare team and making a few lifestyle tweaks, you can keep IBS from calling the shots.
