Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

IBS is a common condition that affects the digestive system characterised by episodes of abdominal discomfort and abnormal bowel function (diarrhoea, constipation, or both).

  • It causes symptoms like stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation.These tend to come and go over time, and can last for days, weeks or months at a time.
  • It’s usually a lifelong problem. It can be very frustrating to live with and can have a big impact on your everyday life.
  • There’s no cure, but diet changes and medicines can often help control the symptoms.
  • The exact cause is unknown – it’s been linked to things like food passing through your gut too quickly or too slowly, oversensitive nerves in your gut, stress, and a family history of IBS.

Common IBS symptoms

The main symptoms of IBS are:

  • stomach pain or cramps – usually worse after eating and better after doing a poo
  • bloating – your tummy may feel uncomfortably full and swollen
  • diarrhoea – you may have watery poo and sometimes need to poo suddenly
  • constipation – you may strain when pooing and feel like you can’t empty your bowels fully

There may be days when your symptoms are better and days when they’re worse (flare-ups). They may be triggered by food or drink.

How to ease bloating, cramps and farting

  • eat oats (such as porridge) regularly
  • eat up to 1 tablespoon of linseeds a day
  • avoid foods that are hard to digest – like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, beans, onions and dried fruit
  • avoid products containing a sweetener called sorbitol
  • ask a pharmacist about medicines that can help, like Buscopan or peppermint oil

How to reduce diarrhoea

  • cut down on high-fibre foods, like wholegrain foods (such as brown bread and brown rice), nuts and seeds
  • avoid products containing a sweetener called sorbitol
  • ask a pharmacist about medicines that can help, like Imodium (loperamide)

If you keep getting diarrhoea, make sure you drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

How to relieve constipation

  • drink plenty of water to help make your poo softer
  • increase how much soluble fibre you eat – good foods include oats, pulses, carrots, peeled potatoes and linseeds
  • ask a pharmacist about medicines that can help (laxatives), like fybogel or Celevac

General tips to relieve IBS symptoms

Do

  • cook homemade meals using fresh ingredients when you can
  • keep a diary of what you eat and any symptoms you get – try to avoid things that trigger your IBS 
  • try to find ways to relax
  • get plenty of exercise
  • try probiotics for a month to see if they help

Don’t

  • delay or skip meals
  • eat‌ too quickly
  • eat lots of fatty, spicy or processed foods
  • eat more than 3 portions of fresh fruit a day (a portion is 80g)
  • drink more than 3 cups of tea or coffee a day
  • drink lots of alcohol or fizzy drinks

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