Living with digestive symptoms can be challenging, particularly when they disrupt your confidence, routines, or social life. Many people experience ongoing bowel-related symptoms but feel unsure whether what they’re experiencing is normal or something they should seek help for.
You may recognise some of the following:
- recurrent cramping or lower abdominal/gut pain that can be intense enough to interrupt meetings or social plans
- a persistent sensation of not having fully emptied your bowels in the morning, leading to several trips to the toilet before you feel able to leave home
- a sudden, unpredictable urgency to poo that makes travelling or socialising feel stressful
- progressive or uncomfortable bloating that makes you feel you need to wear loose clothing most of the time
- excessive or offensive wind, causing embarrassment at work or around others
All of these can be signs of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
IBS is a common condition affecting the digestive system, yet it remains widely misunderstood. For many people, IBS can have a substantial impact on day-to-day life, work, and emotional wellbeing. During IBS Awareness Month, raising awareness and improving understanding of IBS can help people seek the right support and achieve better symptom control.
What is IBS?
IBS is a disorder of gut function that causes symptoms such as abdominal pain or discomfort alongside changes in bowel habits. These may include diarrhoea, constipation, or a combination of both. IBS does not cause permanent damage to the bowel and is not associated with an increased risk of bowel cancer.
IBS is often a long-term condition. Symptoms may come and go, with flareups triggered by factors such as stress, illness, or dietary changes.
Around one in five adults in the UK is thought to have IBS, although the true number may be higher, as many people do not seek medical advice. IBS is more common in women than men and most often begins in the 20s or 30s, though it can develop at any age.
Common IBS symptoms
Symptoms vary between individuals and may change over time. Common IBS symptoms include:
- abdominal pain or cramping
- persistent abdominal discomfort
- changes in bowel habits, including diarrhoea, constipation, or alternating between both
- bloating, feeling uncomfortably full and swollen
- excessive gas
- abdominal gurgling sounds (borborygmi)
- nausea
- diarrhoea
- constipation, straining, or difficulty pooing
Symptoms are often relieved at least partially by pooing and may worsen during periods of stress or after eating certain foods.
What causes IBS?
The precise cause of IBS is not fully understood, and there is no single trigger. IBS is thought to develop due to a combination of factors that affect the way the bowel functions and how the gut communicates with the brain.
Factors associated with an increased risk of IBS include a previous abdominal or bowel infection (gastroenteritis), inflammation linked to other conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease or endometriosis, disruption of the gut microbiome following antibiotic use, ongoing stress, genetic factors, and a history of anxiety or depression.
IBS is often described as a disorder of gut-brain interaction, where nerves in the digestive system become more sensitive, leading to symptoms even when routine investigations appear normal.
How is IBS diagnosed?
A diagnosis of IBS can be made when symptoms meet established criteria, and other causes (such as coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease or bowel cancer) have been excluded, by specific testing. According to the Rome IV criteria, IBS is diagnosed when a person has recurrent abdominal pain for at least one day per week over the last three months, associated with two or more of the following: pain related to pooing, a change in frequency of pooing, or a change in form of your poo. Symptoms must have started at least six months before diagnosis.
Using clear diagnostic criteria allows for reassurance, timely diagnosis, and appropriate treatment planning.
How can IBS be managed?
There is currently no cure for IBS, but symptoms can often be significantly improved through diet and lifestyle changes and medication. Management should be individualised, and guidance from a GP, gastroenterologist, or specialist dietitian can be extremely helpful.
You can find more information on IBS and Diet from the British Dietetic Association.
When to seek further help
Medical advice should be sought if symptoms are persistent, worsening, or affecting quality of life. Urgent assessment is important if symptoms are accompanied by warning signs such as unexplained weight loss, rectal bleeding, persistent night-time symptoms, or a family history of bowel disease.
Specialist assessment can help confirm the diagnosis and tailor management to an individual’s symptom pattern and lifestyle.
Raising awareness of IBS
IBS Awareness Month provides an opportunity to highlight a condition that affects millions of people and is often overlooked. Greater awareness helps reduce stigma, promotes early diagnosis, and ensures people receive appropriate support.
At Cromwell Hospital, we offer specialist care for patients with IBS, supporting them to better understand their condition and manage symptoms effectively.
If digestive symptoms are impacting your daily life, help is available – and you don’t have to manage IBS alone.
