Soothe Your System

Nobody likes to talk about bathroom troubles —but ignoring irritable bowel syndrome can make the symptoms so much worse. Experts share what you need to know about the common digestive disorder..

- Maggie Puniewska

THE OCCASIONAL gut woe is nothing to worry about. Tummy issues that show up on the regular, however, are worth paying attention to.

“IBS is the most common issue GI doctors come across,” says Shanti Eswaran, MD, a gastroenterologist and clinical associate professor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. That doesn’t mean the condition is easy to spot, though. It can be tricky to diagnose because every case is unique, Dr. Eswaran explains. “People have different symptoms and triggers, so it may take time to identify IBS and then figure out how to manage it.”

Another complicating factor: IBS triggers can be both dietary (from coffee to fructose) and emotional—think toxic stress levels or just situational jitters.

The good news is that all the detective work usually pays off. “Many patients who are able to pin down what’s causing their symptoms eventually reach a point where they’re having them a lot less often,” says New York City–based gastroenterologist Samantha Nazareth, MD.

Getting to a Diagnosis

IBS is more than just an upset stomach now and then. “You have to experience a few specific symptoms at least once a week, for three months,” says Dr. Nazareth. One of the classic signs is abdominal pain that gets better after a BM. The other hallmark is a change in your bathroom habits. Some people become constipated; others get diarrhea. A small percentage alternate between constipation and diarrhea.

Symptoms can also include cramping, bloating, and gas. And they may not be consistent over time. Although IBS is considered a chronic condition, it can wax and wane.