The symptoms of IBS are usually worse after eating and tend to come and go in bouts. Most people have a flare-up of symptoms that lasts for two to four days and afterwards their symptoms improve or disappear.
The most common symptoms of IBS are:
- abdominal pain and cramping, which is often relieved by emptying your bowels
- a change in your bowel habits, such as diarrhoea, constipation or sometimes both
- bloating and swelling of your abdomen
- excessive wind (flatulence)
- an urgent need to go to the toilet
- a feeling that your need to open your bowels even if you've just been to the toilet
- a feeling that you have not fully emptied your bowel
- passing mucus from your back passage
Not surprisingly, given the embarrassment, pain and discomfort of IBS, many people with the condition also have symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Read more about how IBS can lead to anxiety and depression.
Bowel symptoms
There are three main patterns of bowel symptoms in IBS. They are:
- IBS with diarrhoea: when you have repeated bouts of diarrhoea
- IBS with constipation: when you have repeated bouts of constipation
- IBS mixed: when you have repeated bouts of diarrhoea and constipation
These patterns aren't set in stone. You can switch from one to another and go for long periods with few or no symptoms at all.
Find out which foods and drinks can trigger IBS symptoms.
