Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects between 6–18% of people worldwide.

This condition involves changes in frequency or form of bowel movements and lower abdominal pain ( 1 ).

Diet, stress, poor sleep and changes in gut bacteria may all trigger symptoms.

However, triggers are different for each person, making it difficult to name specific foods or stressors that everyone with the disorder should avoid ( 2 ).

This article will discuss the most common symptoms of IBS and what to do if you suspect you have it.

Abdominal pain is the most common symptom and a key factor in diagnosis.

Normally, your gut and brain work together to control digestion. This happens via hormones, nerves and signals released by the good bacteria that live in your gut.

在IBS中，这些合作信号变得扭曲，导致消化道肌肉中不协调和痛苦的紧张感（ 3 ).

This pain usually occurs in the lower abdomen or the entire abdomen but is less likely to be in the upper abdomen alone. Pain typically decreases following a bowel movement ( 4 ).

Diet modifications, such as a diet low inFODMAPs, may improve pain and other symptoms ( 5 ).

Other treatments include bowel relaxants like peppermint oil, cognitive behavior therapy and hypnotherapy ( 6 ).

For pain that doesn’t respond to these changes, a gastroenterologist can help you find a medication specifically proven to ease IBS pain.

概括:

肠易激综合症的最常见症状是下腹部pain that is less severe after a bowel movement. Dietary modifications, stress-reducing therapies and certain medications can help reduce pain.

Diarrhea-predominant IBS is one of the three main types of the disorder. It affects roughly one-third of patients with IBS ( 7 ).

A study of 200 adults found that those with diarrhea-predominant IBS had, on average, 12 bowel movements weekly — more than twice the amount of adults without IBS ( 8 ).

IBS中加速的肠管也可能导致突然的，直接的肠道运动。一些患者将其描述为重大压力的根源，甚至因为担心腹泻突然发作而避免了一些社交情况（ 9 ).

Additionally, stool in the diarrhea-predominant type tends to be loose and watery and may contain mucus ( 10 ).

Summary:

Frequent, loose stools are common in IBS, and are a symptom of the diarrhea-predominant type. Stools may also contain mucus.

Although it seems counterintuitive, IBS can causeconstipationas well as diarrhea.

Constipation-predominant IBS is the most common type, affecting nearly 50% of people with IBS ( 11 ).

大脑和肠之间的通信改变可能会加快或降低粪便的正常运输时间。当过境时间变慢时，肠吸收更多的凳子，而且很难通过（ 10 ).

Constipation is defined as having fewer than three bowel movements per week ( 12 ).

“Functional” constipation describes chronic constipation not explained by another disease. It is not related to IBS and is very common. Functional constipation differs from IBS in that it is generally not painful.

相比之下，IBS中的便秘包括腹痛，可缓解排便。

IBS中的便秘通常也会引起不完整的肠道运动的感觉。这导致不必要的紧张（ 13 ).

Along with the usual treatments for IBS, exercise, drinking more water, eating soluble fiber, taking probiotics and the limited use of laxatives may help.

Summary:

Constipation is very common. However, abdominal pain that improves after a bowel movement and a sensation of incomplete bowel movements after passing stool are signs of IBS.

混合或交替的便秘和腹泻会影响约20％的IBS患者（ 11 ).

Diarrhea and constipation in IBS involve chronic, recurring abdominal pain. Pain is the most important clue that changes in bowel movements are not related to diet or common, mild infections ( 4 ).

这种类型的IBS往往比其他具有更频繁和强烈症状的其他IBS（ 14 ).

The symptoms of mixed IBS also vary more from one person to another. Therefore, this condition requires an individualized treatment approach rather than “one-size-fits-all” recommendations ( 15 ).

Summary:

About 20% of patients with IBS experience alternating periods of diarrhea and constipation. Throughout each phase, they continue to experience pain relieved by bowel movements.

Slow-moving stool in the intestine often becomes dehydrated as the intestine absorbs water. In turn, this creates hard stool, which can exacerbate symptoms of constipation ( 16 ).

Prompt movement of stool through the intestine leaves little time for absorption of water and results in the loose stools characteristic of diarrhea ( 10 ).

IBS can also cause mucus to accumulate in stool, which is not usually associated with other causes of constipation ( 17 ).

Blood in stool may be a sign of another, potentially serious medical condition and deserves a visit to your doctor. Blood in stool may appear red but often appears very dark or black with a tarry consistency ( 12 ).

概括:

IBS changes the time stool remains in your intestines. This changes the amount of water in stool, giving it a range from loose and watery to hard and dry.

Altered digestion in IBS leads to more gas production in the gut. This can cause bloating, which is uncomfortable ( 18 ).

Many with IBS identify bloating as one of the most persistent and nagging symptoms of the disorder ( 19 ).

In a study of 337 IBS patients, 83% reported bloating and cramping. Both symptoms were more common in women and in constipation-predominant IBS or mixed types of IBS ( 20 , 21 ).

Avoiding lactose and other FODMAPs can help减少腹胀( 22 ).

Summary:

气体和腹胀是IBS的一些最常见和令人沮丧的症状。遵循低摄影作品的饮食可以帮助减少腹胀。

Up to 70% of individuals with IBS report that particular foods trigger symptoms ( 23 ).

Two-thirds of people with IBS actively avoid certain foods. Sometimes these individuals exclude multiple foods from the diet.

为什么这些食物引发的症状尚不清楚。这些food intolerances are not allergies, and trigger foods don’t cause measurable differences in digestion.

While trigger foods are different for everyone, some common ones include gas-producing foods, such as FODMAPs, as well as lactose and gluten ( 24 , 25 , 26 ).

Summary:

许多患有IBS的人报告了特定的触发食品。一些常见的触发因素包括fodmaps和兴奋剂，例如咖啡因。

Over half of people with IBS report fatigue ( 27 ).

In one study, 160 adults diagnosed with IBS described low stamina that limited physical exertion in work, leisure and social interactions ( 28 ).

Another study of 85 adults found that the intensity of their symptoms predicted the severity of fatigue ( 29 ).

IBS is also related to insomnia, which includes difficulty falling asleep, waking frequently and feeling unrested in the morning ( 30 ).

在对112名IBS成年人的研究中，有13％的人报告差睡眠质量( 31 ).

Another study of 50 men and women found that those with IBS slept about an hour longer yet felt less refreshed in the morning than those without IBS ( 32 ).

有趣的是，睡眠不佳预测第二天更严重的胃肠道症状（ 33 ).

Summary:

与没有IBS的人相比，患有IBS的人会更加疲劳，并报告睡眠不足。疲劳和睡眠质量差也与更严重的胃肠道症状有关。

IBS is linked to anxiety and depression, as well.

It’s unclear whether IBS symptoms are an expression of mental stress or whether the stress of living with IBS makes people more prone to psychological difficulties.

首先，焦虑和消化IBS症状在恶性循环中互相增强。

在对94,000名男女的大型研究中，IBS患有焦虑症的可能性超过50％，患有情绪障碍的可能性高70％（例如抑郁症）（ 34 ).

Another study compared levels of the stress hormonecortisolin patients with and without IBS. Given a public speaking task, those with IBS experienced greater changes in cortisol, suggesting greater stress levels (35).

此外，另一项研究发现焦虑症疗法reduced stressand IBS symptoms ( 36 ).

Summary:

IBS can produce a vicious cycle of digestive symptoms that increase anxiety and anxiety that increases digestive symptoms. Tackling anxiety can help reduce other symptoms.

如果您的IBS症状会干扰您的生活质量，请访问您附近的初级保健医生，他们可以帮助诊断IBS并排除其他模仿它的疾病。如果您还没有医生，则可以使用Healthline FindCare tool在您附近找到一个提供商。

IBS is diagnosed by recurrent abdominal pain for at least 6 months, combined with weekly pain for 3 months as well as some combination of pain relieved by bowel movements and changes in frequency or form of bowel movements.

Your doctor may refer you to a gastroenterologist, a specialist in digestive diseases, who can help you identify triggers and discuss ways to control your symptoms.

生活方式改变，例如low-FODMAPs diet，缓解压力，运动，喝大量的水和非处方泻药也可以帮助您。有趣的是，低摄影饮食是缓解症状的最有希望的生活方式变化之一（ 37 ).

Identifying other trigger foods can be difficult, as these are different for each person. Keeping a diary of meals and ingredients can help identify triggers ( 38 , 39 , 40 ).

Probiotic supplementsmay also reduce symptoms ( 37 ).

Additionally, avoiding digestive stimulants, such as caffeine, alcohol and sugary beverages, can reduce symptoms in some people ( 41 ).

如果您的症状对生活方式的改变或非处方治疗没有反应，则有几种药物可以在困难的情况下有所帮助。

If you think you have IBS, consider keeping a journal of foods and symptoms. Then, take this information to your doctor to help diagnose and control the condition.

用西班牙语阅读本文。