Symptoms come and go. They are also not the same from one person to the next.
Symptoms may be worse after eating. Some are:
- Belly cramps
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Bloating
- Pain that gets better by moving your bowels
- Feeling that you have not fully emptied your bowels
- Straining to move your bowels
- An urgent need to move your bowels
- Mucus in the stool
- Nausea
- Back pain
References
Ford AC, Lacy BE, Talley NJ. Irritable bowel syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2017;376(26):2566-2578.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T113627/Irritable-bowel-syndrome-IBS . Updated September 10, 2018. Accessed August 26, 2019.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Merck Manual Professional Version website. Available at: https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/gastrointestinal-disorders/irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs/irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs. Updated April 2019. Accessed August 26, 2019.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review Board James P. Cornell, MD
- Review Date: 08/2019
- Update Date: 08/27/2019