IBS 101

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is one of the world’s most common digestive conditions, affecting about 15% of the population. Despite how widespread it is, IBS often goes undiagnosed, untreated, and ignored. Many people assume or have been told their symptoms are just a part of life, and that the key is managing discomfort instead of seeking real solutions. But the truth is, more often than not, IBS isn’t something you just have to deal with—there are ways to understand it and take action to feel better.

What Does IBS Feel Like?

As anyone suffering from IBS can tell you, it is so much more than just the occasional upset stomach—IBS is a chronic and persistent condition that affects daily life in frustrating and unpredictable ways. Symptoms can vary from person to person, but the most common include:

Bloating – A swollen, tight feeling in the abdomen that can become worse after meals or last throughout the day. Many people describe it as feeling like their stomach is stretched to its limit.
Gas – IBS can lead to a lot of extra gas, which can either pass at inopportune times, or sometimes become trapped, leading to painful pressure and frequent discomfort.
Cramping or stomach pain – These can range from mild discomfort to sharp, intense pains. The pain often improves after a bowel movement but can return unexpectedly.
Diarrhea, constipation, or both – Some people experience frequent, urgent diarrhea, while others struggle with slow, difficult-to-pass stools. Others alternate between the two, making meal planning and daily activities incredibly stressful.

Living with IBS can be exhausting—some days are manageable, while others are overwhelming. The unpredictability of symptoms can make social events, travel, and even simple errands a challenge.

What Causes IBS?

One of the reasons it's so difficult to understand IBS is that it isn’t just one issue; IBS is an umbrella term used to describe a collection of distinct problems, each with their own cause and solution. Some of the most common physical causes include:

SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth): This happens when bacteria that should stay in your large intestine move up into your small intestine. These misplaced bacteria ferment food too early in the digestive process, producing excess gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
LIBO (Large Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth): Similar to SIBO, but occurs in the large intestine, where bacteria become imbalanced and overgrown. This can slow down digestion, leading to bloating, constipation, and irregular bowel movements. LIBO is often linked to food intolerances and inflammation, making symptoms even more unpredictable.
Leaky Gut: The gut lining acts as a barrier, keeping harmful substances out of the bloodstream. When it becomes damaged or overly permeable, toxins, undigested food particles, and bacteria can pass through, triggering inflammation and immune responses.
Functional Constipation: This occurs when the muscles of the colon don’t work efficiently to move stool through the digestive tract. As a result, waste stays in the system too long, leading to hard, difficult-to-pass stools, bloating, and discomfort.

The Nervous System Connection

Beyond the physical causes, there are also mental-emotional factors that need to be considered. For many people, IBS is influenced by the nervous system. The gut and brain are closely connected, meaning stress, trauma, and anxiety can directly affect digestion. In fact, when all of the physical causes have been ruled out, we are often left with a true IBS picture, which is a chronic pain condition almost always the result of a history of chronic stress or early childhood trauma.

When the body experiences ongoing stress (whether from daily life, a past event, or emotional overwhelm), the gut can become extra sensitive, overreacting to normal digestion. This can lead to pain, bloating, and irregular bathroom habits. Essentially, the gut can become stuck in “fight or flight” mode, making digestion feel chaotic and uncomfortable.

Common Triggers for IBS

While stress is certainly a major trigger for IBS, there are so many other things that can contribute to flare-ups. Specific triggers can vary a lot from person to person, so finding the triggers that most affect you can be a big step in managing your gut health. Some of the most common IBS triggers include:

Food Sensitivities – Many people with IBS find that high-fat, spicy, or ultra-processed foods can worsen their symptoms. Additionally, foods high in fermentable carbohydrates (FODMAPs) such as onions, garlic, beans, and certain fruits can cause bloating and discomfort. Other common food triggers include

Dairy and Gluten – Some individuals with IBS have sensitivities to dairy or gluten, even if they don’t have a formal allergy.
Caffeine and Alcohol – Both caffeine and alcohol can irritate the gut lining and disrupt digestion.
Artificial Sweeteners – Sugar alcohols like sorbitol and xylitol can cause bloating and diarrhea in people with IBS.

Hormonal Changes – Many people, especially women, notice that IBS symptoms fluctuate with hormonal shifts.
Irregular Eating Patterns – Skipping meals, eating too quickly, or eating too much in one sitting can tax the digestive system and make issues much worse.
Lack of Physical Activity – Movement helps keep digestion regular; moving every day can help prevent a sluggish bowel and constipation.

So What’s Next?

If you take anything away from this post, let it be this: IBS is manageable and even treatable when you address the root cause. By balancing gut bacteria, healing the gut lining, and calming the nervous system, people often see massive improvements. The most important first step is to get properly assessed to find out exactly what that root cause is.

So if you’ve been struggling with IBS, it’s important to remember that it’s not all in your head, it’s not something to be embarrassed about, and most importantly—it’s not something you have to just live with.

If you’d like to learn more about getting assessed for IBS and its related conditions, or how naturopathic medicine can help, you can book an appointment with me.