Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder. Symptoms include crampy abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and/or diarrhea. The severity of symptoms varies from mildly annoying to debilitating. The causes of IBS aren’t well understood, and it’s often managed with a combination of diet and lifestyle modifications and medications. IBS is a chronic condition that can be controlled, but not cured.

Types

woman with stomach pain
When Your IBS Causes Both Constipation and Diarrhea
woman with stomach ache
What to Do If You have IBS-D
A person with irritable bowel syndrome feels abdominal pain
Irritable Bowel Syndrome With Constipation (IBS-C): Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Symptoms

Stool Colors to Be Concerned About
The Colors Your Poop Should Never Be
woman in bathroom and in discomfort
Why You Might Be Hurting During Bowel Movements
woman nauseous in the bathroom
Learn the Surprising IBS Symptoms That Aren't Related to Your Gut
Mature woman with hand to head at home - stock photo
Why Pooping Might Make You Feel Like You Will Faint
Woman Holding Belly, Feeling Discomfort - Stock Photo
Understanding IBS Pain

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What causes IBS?

    The causes of IBS are complex and somewhat unknown. There may be an interplay between pain sensitivity, gut motility problems, low-grade inflammation, and gut bacteria and hormones dysfunction in brain and gut communication. IBS sometimes develops after an infection in your digestive tract or after trauma. It also tends to run in families, and research suggests that gene mutations play a role.

    Learn More: Causes and Risk Factors of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
  • How is IBS treated?

    Doctors may recommend dietary (fiber, low-FODMAP diet) and other lifestyle changes (exercise, sleep) and therapies. There are also over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications that can be used to target symptoms of diarrhea, constipation, or pain. Therapies can include cognitive behavioral therapy, gut-directed hypnotherapy, and relaxation training.

    Learn More: How IBS Is Treated
  • How is IBS diagnosed?

    IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion. Your doctor will run blood and fecal occult tests and ask about your family and personal medical history. After ruling out infections and other digestive diseases, you may be diagnosed with one of three types of IBS based on symptoms:

    Learn More: How IBS Is Diagnosed
  • What should I eat if I have IBS?

    Eating smaller, more frequent meals and gradually increasing fiber, especially soluble fiber (nuts, beans, fruit), can help improve symptoms in IBS. Your doctor may suggest temporarily avoiding fatty foods and other common triggers or following a low-FODMAP diet, which eliminates hard-to-digest carbohydrates for six to eight weeks and then slowly reintroduces them.

    Learn More: How IBS Is Treated

Stomach Pain Causes

woman with stomach pain
How to Know if Your Stomach Pain Is an Emergency
woman with stomach pain
9 Signs That Your Stomach Issues May Not Be IBS
two pizza pies
Why Your Stomach Hurts After Eating

Treatment

bottles of pepto bismol on the shelf
How Safe Is Pepto-Bismol?
man having stomach examined
How Digital Disimpaction Is Used to Relieve Constipation
woman waiting at the doctor's office
Is Colon Hydrotherapy Worth the Risk and Side Effects?
woman using hot water bottle
How You Can Cope With Abdominal Pain From IBS
man holding medication
All of the Medications That Are Available to Treat IBS
woman sleeping with a hot water bottle on stomach
10 Self-Care Tips for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Key Terms

  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease

    A chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract that can cause symptoms such as rectal bleeding, mucus in stools, abdominal pain, weight loss, and persistent diarrhea. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an umbrella term for three conditions: Crohn's disease,  ulcerative colitis, and indeterminate colitis.

    Symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
  • Gastrointestinal (GI) Disorders

    Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Structural GI disorders are when the GI tract looks and functions abnormally. In functional GI disorders, such as IBS, the GI tract looks normal yet isn’t functioning properly.

  • Iron Deficiency Anemia

    Iron deficiency anemia is a condition in which you lack adequate red blood cells to carry oxygen through your body due to low iron. Iron levels can be low due to inadequate dietary iron intake, nutrient malabsorption, or bleeding.

    An Overview of Iron Deficiency Anemia
  • Lactulose or Glucose Breath Tests

    Tests that measure hydrogen and methane in the breath after a person drinks a sugar solution of either lactulose or glucose. Breath tests are a non-invasive way to diagnose or rule out small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in people with bloating or bowel problems and suspected IBS.

    How to Get Tested for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
  • Malabsorption

    Malabsorption is when the small intestine does not absorb nutrients properly. Celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) can lead to malabsorption and subsequent nutrient deficiencies and anemia. It is not believed that IBS results in the malabsorption of many key nutrients, yet some malabsorption issues may be behind IBS symptoms.

    Malabsorption and IBS

Nutrition

herbs on a window sill
How to Use Herbal Supplements for Treating Your IBS
close-up of woman holding a salad
Best Diet for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
close-up of woman adding berries to her breakfast
How to Eat Better for Treating Your IBS Symptoms
sliced bread in a toaster
What to Eat and Drink When You Have Diarrhea
ice cream in a cone bowl
The Absolute Worst Things to Eat When You Have IBS
close-up of chickpeas
Foods to Eat on a Low-FODMAP Diet to Reduce IBS Symptoms
Orange Carrots in a Basket
Best Sources for IBS-Friendly Soluble Fiber
hot tea in a mug
Drinking Doesn't Have to Aggravate Your IBS

Living With IBS

man drinking water
How to Reduce Symptoms of Incomplete Bowel Movements
Woman cutting a banana to eat
What to Do for Loose Stools From IBS
close-up of woman using hot water bottle on her abdomen
The 7 Best Ways to Get Relief From IBS Pain
woman practicing yoga at home
IBS Attack Symptoms and How to Relieve Them
man eating a greasy burger
10 Things to Stop Doing When You Have IBS
Portrait of a man wearing glasses, smiling while holding two cups of coffee
Exactly How Much Coffee Should You Drink a Day to Lower Your Risk for IBS?
man looking in the bathroom mirror
Types of IBS, Symptoms, Causes and Treatments
woman with stomach pain
What Is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?
Person experiencing abdominal pain from IBS
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Facts and Statistics: What You Need to Know
Bananas
Why Do Bananas Make My Stomach Hurt?
Doctor doing abdominal check on a woman
What Is Spastic Colon?
woman feeling faint
What Triggers the Vagal Response?
Rough toilet paper
What Are Prolapsed Hemorrhoids? Symptoms and Causes
Illustration of the inside of the intestine
What Are Digestive Enzymes?
Laxative herbs in mortar and pestle
What Causes Melanosis Coli?
'Engaged' lock on cubicle door
What to Know About Tenesmus
cats cradle with rubber bands
What Is a Sphincter?
Woman sitting on a toilet with a phone in her hand
How Vaginal Splinting Can Help You Poop
doctor with female patient
Proctalgia Fugax Causes and Treatment
Woman complaining of A Stomachache to her doctor
Visceral Hypersensitivity and IBS
a man holding his back sitting at a desk
Platelet Disorders: Thrombocytosis and Thrombocythemia
Homemade hamburgers
Why Do I Have To Poop Right After I Eat?
Mature Female Doctor Checking X-Ray With Mature Patient
How an Organic Disease Differs From a Functional Disorder
The functional gastrointestinal disorders.
The Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders
X-ray machine
What to Expect During Defecography
A doctor with his patient on the exam table
Types of Colonic Transit Time Tests
variety of gut bacteria
Dysbiosis: Overview and Treatment
Woman lying in bed with abdmonial cramps and headache
Types of Dysmotility and Motility Disorders
doctor diagnosing patient
The Rome IV Criteria for Functional Digestive Disorders
An illustration with a person looking like she is in pain with levator ani syndrome
An Overview of Levator Ani Syndrome
woman in abdominal discomfort
Fecal Impaction: Risk Factors and Treatment
Woman with stomach pain
Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction
Woman with a pill
An Overview of Narcotic Bowel Syndrome
Hands of a woman holding supplements
Before You Take Calcium for Diarrhea
Sad young woman in bathroom
Chronic Functional Constipation With No Specific Cause
BRAT diet of bowl of rice, applesauce, and toast with bananas
A Guide to the BRAT Diet
Stressed man with head in hands
What It Means When Poop Is Fluffy, Hard, Colored, and More
Saccharomyces Boulardii capsules
What Is Saccharomyces Boulardii?
Banana porridge with cinnamon.
Benefits of a Bland Diet for Symptom Management
Endoscope
What Is Endoscopic Ultrasound?
Toilet paper running out
Bristol Stool Chart: Poop Types and What They Mean
Woman with side back pain sitting on bed at home - stock photo
Can IBS Cause Back Pain?
Male large intestine anatomy, illustration
10 Facts About Your Colon and How You Poop
Cocktail party food
11 of the Most Common Food Intolerances
Man leaning against bathroom sink
IBS Mucus In Poop: Why It Happens and When to Worry
woman talking with doctor
Malabsorption and IBS
Mid section of muscular man with bottle aganist cloudy sky
Your Digestive System in Pictures
Woman with bloated belly
IBS Bloating and Stomach Distension: How to Find Relief
Fart
Trapped Gas Pain and Other IBS Abdominal Pain Sources
A woman experiences abdominal pain from IBS
IBS Symptoms in Women: What to Know
A person eating a fried chicken sandwich and fries
What Causes IBS Flare-Ups?
Muslim surgeon consults female patient
How Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Is Diagnosed
A healthcare provider holds an endoscope during a colonoscopy
Colonoscopy and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): What to Know
A parent comforts a teen who is experiencing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome
Is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Hereditary?
A person has abdominal pain from IBS while sitting on a bed
What Causes IBS?
A person reaching towards the flush handle of the toilet
Does Appendicitis Change Poop Color?
Dosing prednisone thumbnail
What Is a High Dose of Prednisone?
Woman using hot water bag to help stomachache
Daily IBS-C Treatment: What Helps?
Pharmacy stock photo
Why Denial of Service Happens With IBD Drugs and What to Do About It
Customer reading label on box in pharmacy
Does Iberogast Work for IBS?
Various fruits and vegetables on a table
When the Low-FODMAP Diet Doesn't Work for IBS
A sitz bath kit on a toilet
How to Use a Sitz Bath
A pharmacist with her patient
Bentyl for IBS
dropper of essential oil
Taking Essential Oils for Your IBS
Over-the-Counter Remedies for IBS, an illustration of different OTC remedies
Do Over-the-Counter Remedies for IBS Really Work?
Page Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Treatment for irritable bowel syndrome.

  2. El-Salhy M, Ystad SO, Mazzawi T, Gundersen D. Dietary fiber in irritable bowel syndrome (review). Int J Mol Med. 2017;40(3):607-613. doi:10.3892/ijmm.2017.3072

  3. Deloughery TG. Iron deficiency anemia. Med Clin North Am. 2017;101(2):319-332. doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2016.09.004

  4. Salem A, Roland BC. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). J Gastroint Dig Syst. 2014;4:225. doi:10.4172/2161-069X.1000225

Additional Reading