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IBS is the most common digestive system disorder, with up to a third of the population experiencing symptoms. More women than men are affected, and people are most likely to seek medical advice in their 20s to 40s.1

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is characterised by an ABC of symptoms:2,3

·       Abdominal pain or discomfort;

·       Bloating; and

·       Changed bowel habits.

Changes in stool texture and/or frequency can mean diarrhoea (IBS-D), constipation (IBS-C), or mixed (IBS-M). Pain is usually better after eating or defaecation and symptoms can fluctuate over days with periods of normal gut health and flare-ups, often with food and drink being triggers.3

Other symptoms reported with IBS can include flatulence, mucus in the stool, tiredness and low energy, nausea, backache, increased urinary frequency, and possibly incontinence – urinary or faecal.3

In the past, IBS was a ‘diagnosis of exclusion’, only considered when other possible causes had been ruled out. IBS is now accepted as a condition if aspects including frequency, duration and when symptoms occur are clear.4

A blood test may be necessary if there are concerns the condition may be coeliac disease, while stool samples may be used to check for gut infection or inflammatory bowel disease.3

 

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