Common symptoms
- Abdominal pain or cramping, often eased by opening your bowels
- Bloating or a visibly swollen tummy as the day goes on
- Excessive wind
- Diarrhoea, constipation, or alternating between the two
- A feeling of not having fully emptied your bowels
- Mucus in the stool
- Symptoms triggered by certain foods, stress or your menstrual cycle
- Tiredness and low energy
Conditions diagnosed and managed
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C, IBS-D and IBS-M)
- Abdominal bloating and excessive wind
- Functional abdominal pain
- Food-related digestive symptoms
- Altered bowel habits
- Functional dyspepsia (sensitive stomach)
What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?
IBS is one of the most common digestive conditions in the UK, affecting around one in ten people at some point. It is a functional gut disorder — a problem with how the gut works and how the gut and brain communicate, rather than damage or inflammation you can see on a test. That doesn’t make the symptoms any less real, and there is a great deal that can be done to improve them.
Many people are told they “probably have IBS” without ever being properly assessed. A consultant review makes sure that conditions which can look similar — such as coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, bile acid diarrhoea or, rarely, bowel cancer — have been considered and excluded where appropriate.
Types of IBS: IBS-C, IBS-D and IBS-M
IBS is usually grouped by your main bowel pattern, because this guides treatment:
- IBS-C — constipation is the main problem.
- IBS-D — diarrhoea and urgency are the main problem.
- IBS-M — a mixed pattern, swinging between the two.
Abdominal bloating and excessive wind
Bloating is often the symptom people find hardest to live with. It can be caused by the gut being more sensitive to normal amounts of gas, by slow movement through the bowel, by constipation, or by how certain foods are fermented. Persistent bloating that is new, particularly after the age of 50, should always be assessed properly rather than put down to IBS.
What causes IBS?
There is rarely one single cause. Contributing factors include a more sensitive gut (visceral hypersensitivity), changes in gut movement, a previous gut infection, changes in the gut microbiome, stress and anxiety, and sensitivity to particular foods such as those high in FODMAPs (fermentable sugars).
Food triggers and digestive sensitivities
Many patients notice that certain foods make their symptoms worse. Rather than cutting out whole food groups, which can lead to an unbalanced diet, a structured approach — such as a dietitian-guided low-FODMAP diet followed by careful reintroduction — helps identify true triggers. If you think you may react to gluten or dairy, see coeliac disease and food intolerances.
How Dr Khalid investigates the problem
IBS is diagnosed from your history and examination, supported by targeted tests to exclude other conditions. Dr Khalid will take a detailed history of your symptoms, diet, medicines and family history, and may recommend:
- Blood tests, including a full blood count, inflammatory markers and coeliac antibodies
- Stool tests such as faecal calprotectin, which helps distinguish IBS from inflammatory bowel disease
- Tests for bile acid diarrhoea or other causes of loose stools where relevant
- A colonoscopy or gastroscopy if there are red-flag symptoms, a family history, or you are over the age at which other causes become more likely
Treatment and management
Once other causes have been excluded, treatment is tailored to your symptom pattern. Options include a clear explanation of what is happening in your gut, dietary changes (often with a specialist dietitian), treatments targeted at constipation, diarrhoea, pain or bloating, and gut-directed therapies that calm the gut–brain connection. Most people see a meaningful improvement with the right combination, and a clear diagnosis is reassuring in itself.
When should you see a gastroenterologist?
It is worth seeing a gastroenterologist if your symptoms have lasted more than a few weeks, haven’t responded to simple measures, are affecting your daily life, or if you have never had a firm diagnosis.
Book a private consultation at Spire Cheshire in Warrington or The Highfield Hospital in Rochdale.
When to seek urgent help
Don’t wait for a routine appointment. Call 999 or go to A&E if you have:
- Vomiting blood or material that looks like coffee grounds
- Black, tarry stools or heavy rectal bleeding
- Severe or worsening abdominal pain
- Food stuck and being unable to swallow
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes with fever or pain
Frequently asked questions
Can IBS be cured?
IBS is usually a long-term condition that comes and goes, but most people achieve good control of their symptoms with the right combination of dietary changes, treatment and understanding of their triggers.
Do I need a colonoscopy to diagnose IBS?
Not always. Many people can be diagnosed with blood and stool tests alone. A colonoscopy is recommended when there are warning signs such as bleeding, weight loss or anaemia, a family history of bowel cancer or IBD, or when symptoms start later in life.
Is bloating always IBS?
No. Bloating has many causes, including constipation, coeliac disease, food intolerances and, less commonly, conditions affecting the ovaries or bowel. New, persistent bloating should always be assessed.
Medically reviewed by Dr Sal Khalid, Consultant Gastroenterologist. Last reviewed November 2026. This page is general information and does not replace a personal medical consultation.