Overview and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is commonly seen in general practice. It occurs in approximately 10% of people worldwideMoayyedi, 2019. The aetiology and pathogenesis of IBS are complex and not fully understood. Altered bowel motility, visceral hypersensitivity and psychosocial factors may all contribute to symptoms, via pathways mediated by serotonin and other enteric neurotransmitters. Alterations in the gut microbiota are also increasingly being implicated in IBS.

People with IBS experience abdominal pain associated with a change in bowel habit over an extended period of time. They may experience faecal urgency (particularly after meals), a need to strain when passing a stool, a feeling of incomplete evacuation, abdominal bloating or passage of mucus. Patients also have an increased prevalence of other disorders such as dyspepsia, urinary frequency, headaches, dysmenorrhoea, dyspareunia (painful sexual intercourse), fibromyalgia, anxiety and depression.

Consumer information and resources for general practitioners are available from the IBS4GPs website developed by the Gastroenterological Society of Australia.