This condition is more common in women.
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Unfortunately, women are twice as likely as men to have IBS, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Women can attribute their likelihood of getting IBS to the fact that hormones contribute to flare-ups and estrogen and progesterone both rise and fall during the monthly menstrual cycle, says Sonpal. Because these hormone receptors are found in the G.I. tract, their fluctuations manifest symptoms. Furthermore, women’s symptoms can differentiate from one another because, in addition to hormonal fluctuations, IBS flare-ups can be influenced by emotional health and the gut’s microbiome as well.
IBS is what Sonpal calls a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning a physician should rule out all other possible causes of symptoms first. Because of that and the way women uniquely experience IBS, it can be difficult to diagnose. After all, how do you tell if it’s IBS or intense period cramps or anxiety?
Constipation that lasts for days or weeks and is followed by a bout
of diarrhea is a classic sign of IBS, says Sonpal. These polar extremes
are often exasperated in IBS patients due to both stress, anxiety or
even depression. This why many women feel an improvement of IBS symptoms
after starting yoga,
regular exercise, or seeking therapy, he says. If the alternating
between symptoms stop and you start experiencing dominantly extreme
diarrhea or extreme constipation, it’s a good idea to see a physician to
rule out anything more serious. (Kick-start your new, healthy routine with Women's Health's 12-Week Total-Body Transformation!)
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Those with IBS generally experience widespread abdominal pain. That
pain is commonly from abdominal cramping of the small and large bowel,
says Sonpal. It becomes worse after eating and is relieved by passage of
a bowel movement or passing gas. IBS pain is never focal to one region
of the belly or severe or sharp. When the pain becomes localized, sharp,
or unrelenting, that is not IBS, but a sign of something more severe.
Similar to IBS, menstrual cramps can be felt all over, but unlike period cramps, IBS pain rarely accompanies back pain and is paired with a change in bowel habits.
IBS symptoms occur during the day as they are brought on by stress
and food, but at night when you sleep you should be “stress free” (and
you obviously aren’t eating). Hence, no IBS symptoms. Typically IBS
symptoms are their worst at the end of the day when patients feel heavy
and bloated. If you begin experiencing symptoms at night, they may be unrelated to IBS and you should see a doctor.
The bacteria that populates our guts is so important to every aspect
of our health. Once the friendly bacteria that helps digest your food
and protect the gut lining becomes imbalanced, digestive and immune
capabilities are compromised, says Sonpal. That imbalance can
potentially lead to IBS with symptoms such as gas bloating and "looking pregnant."
This kind of retention is also seen in menstruation from hormonal
imbalances of estrogen and progesterone, but the gas bloating of IBS is
always after eating, he says.
One of the most annoying symptoms of IBS is
that people develop food sensitivity. While it isn’t a true allergy,
certain foods exacerbate their symptoms more than others. Sonpal says
this is because those foods are taken up by the bad bacteria and turned
into gas—which, of course, has to come out. Sometimes that gas
accompanies diarrhea. Some of the most common food triggers for IBS
patients are wheat, gluten,
dairy, corn, sugar, chocolate, coffee, tea and citrus fruits, says
Sonpal. If you develop rashes, difficulty with swallowing, or breathing
with food intake, then you should see a doctor immediately as this is
not sensitivity to food but a full-on allergy.
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