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What are the symptoms of IBS?

Irritable Bowel Syndrome, also known as IBS, is a common, long-term condition that causes abdominal pain and discomfort. The pain can often feel so severe it impacts on your daily activities, including your work and social life. It’s a disorder that can also impact on your mental and emotional wellbeing.

The symptoms of IBS will vary from person to person, but the video doctor experts at Phone Call Doctor have devised a list of the 5 most common symptoms of IBS so you know what to look out for.

Abdominal pain or cramping

If you have IBS, the pain receptors surrounding your bowels are constantly on high alert. Anything abnormal will send these receptors crazy! This is what causes people with IBS to experience severe pain and discomfort. Cramping can sometimes last hours and will usually be worse after meals.

Alternating constipation and diarrhoea

If your bowel movements are far from normal and fluctuate between constipation and diarrhoea, chances are you suffer from IBS. People with IBS can sometimes go up to a week with no bowel movements, and the next week they need to go up to 5 times a day.

Abdominal bloating

Bloating after a big bowl of pasta might seem normal to some, but for people with IBS, bloating is extremely common. If you’re feeling bloated after every meal to the point where it’s causing you extreme discomfort, IBS might be to blame.

Nausea

If you feel yourself rushing to the bathroom throughout the day with a queasy stomach and you know it’s not because of some dodgy food from the night before, you may be suffering from IBS. Feeling nauseas throughout the day isn’t common for non-IBS sufferers, so it’s important to seek medical advice if it’s impacting your day to day activities.

Mucus present your stool

You may not think much of your “number twos”, but the quality of your stool can tell you a lot about your health. It’s important to take note of any abnormalities and if you’re finding mucus in your stool, this could be a sign you have IBS.

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, the team at Phone Call Doctor recommends booking an online doctor consult so their experts can help manage your symptoms and get you on track to pain-free bowels.