Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Irritable Bowel Disease (IBS vs. IBD)

IBS vs IBD

Irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are two distinct gastrointestinal disorders. Both of these disorders may have different symptoms and causes, but they can be difficult to distinguish because the symptoms can be so similar so it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis.

IBS is often associated with constipation, cramping, bloating and diarrhoea. Meanwhile, IBD involves inflammation or destruction of the bowel wall which can result in blood in the stool, stomach cramps, fatigue and diarrhoea.

While there may be an overlap in some of the symptoms, IBD is different to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

What is IBS?

Irritable bowel syndrome is a condition that affects the gastrointestinal tract and leading to gut health symptoms such as abdominal pain, cramps, bloating, constipation or diarrhoea. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can cause a great deal of discomfort. Symptoms can range from mildly annoying to disabling, which negatively impacts a person’s quality of life.

People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are more likely to have other functional disorders, such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and chronic pelvic or temporomandibular joint disorder. These can be viewed as symptoms that appear outside of the digestive tract. While they are not symptoms of the gut, they can be related to gut health.

Who gets IBS?

According to the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders:

• 10 to 15% of adults in the UK suffer from IBS symptoms.
• Women are usually more affected by the condition than men.
• IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) is the gut health condition most commonly diagnosed by gastroenterologists.
• It is one of the most common chronic conditions in the UK. 
• The onset of symptoms typically occur in the late teens or early adulthood, often when a person is under emotional stress.

Comparing IBD and IBS

IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease)	IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
Classified as a disease	Classified as a syndrome, defined as a group of symptoms
Can cause destructive inflammation and permanent harm to the intestines	Does not cause inflammation; rarely requires hospitalization or surgery
The disease can be seen during diagnostic imaging	There is no sign of disease or abnormality during an exam of the colon
Increased risk for colon cancer	No increased risk for colon cancer or IBD

What is the main difference between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and irritable bowel disease (IBD)?

Symptoms of IBS:

IBS is a medical condition that can cause a number of signs and symptoms.

These symptoms of IBS commonly include:

• Abdominal pain, cramping or bloating that is related to passing a bowel movement
• Changes in appearance of bowel movement 
• Changes in how often you are having a bowel movement (constipation or diarrhoea)
• Other symptoms that are often related include bloating, increased gas or mucus in the stool

Symptoms of IBD

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the digestive system, which can cause pain and discomfort. Symptoms vary depending on severity, but may range from mild to severe.

Signs and symptoms that are common to both Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative colitis include:

• Diarrhoea
• Fatigue
• Abdominal pain and cramping
• Blood in your stool
• Reduced appetite
• Unintended weight loss

What is the difference between IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)?

Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, is a disease that affects the bowel and other parts of the body. While IBD, such as Crohn’s disease isn’t fatal, it can cause life-threatening complications.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a digestive disorder that can have a wide range of unpleasant symptoms. It’s not only important to find out what triggers your symptoms, so you can better manage flare-ups, but working to understand and address the underlying issue or imbalance in the gut.

What can be mistaken for IBS?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a condition that is difficult to diagnose because it shares many of the same symptoms as other conditions. Your doctor will help you figure out what’s going on, but it helps to learn about stomach-related issues. 

• Ulcerative Colitis 

When your colon is inflamed, it’s hard to achieve regular bowel movements. Your symptoms may include watery diarrhoea and stomach pain. If the condition is not treated, your doctor may recommend a dietary change or medication, as well as surgery. 

• Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s Disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that can affect any part of your digestive tract. It’s characterised by ulcers and inflammation in the gut, as opposed to ulcerative colitis which only affects the colon. Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel condition that can affect a child’s growth and development. The disease often runs in families, so if someone related to you has it, the odds go up that they will also have it.

• Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance can be harmless, but it can still make you uncomfortable. Symptoms usually start within 30 minutes to 2 hours after having dairy foods and may include stomach pain, bloating, nausea, gas or diarrhoea.

• Stress

It’s common to experience a variety of symptoms when you’re under stress. This could include your stomach slowing down food as it moves through your digestive system, which can lead to cramping or gas. This is where areas of focus such as gut-directed hypnotherapy and mindfulness practices have shown significant value in addressing IBS symptoms. 

• Diverticulitis

Colonic pouches form when the muscular walls of your colon weakens. This can lead to inflammation or infection, which is called diverticulitis. If you have a mild case, you can try making lifestyle changes to treat it. If you don’t have a severe case, you can still make lifestyle changes to treat it. For instance, by getting adequate sleep and watching what you eat. If you have a mild case, you can heal it by making lifestyle changes. Lifestyle changes include getting more rest and watching what you eat.

• Coeliac Disease

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition. If you have it, your immune system attacks the small intestine each time you eat gluten. A blood test can show if you’re more likely to get coeliac disease. If your doctor suspects you have coeliac disease, they’ll do a biopsy to confirm it. The only sure treatment is a gluten-free diet. Managing your condition is important so that you don’t cause any irreparable damage.

• Gallstones

Your gallbladder is a small pear-shaped organ in your belly that stores bile. Bile helps you digest food. Sometimes, bile hardens into stones and may not cause symptoms unless they block something inside of you. Gallstones can cause abdominal pain on the right side of your abdomen, which may not be relieved by sitting. If you have a fever with chills or notice yellowing in your skin or eyes, contact your doctor immediately.

• Pancreatitis

Your pancreas helps digest food before it is absorbed by the intestines. If it does not work properly, you may experience symptoms similar to IBS, such as diarrhoea, bloating, and abdominal pain. Depending on the cause and severity of pancreatitis, treatment may include painkillers, dietary changes, and surgery.

• Endometriosis

Sometimes women’s endometrial cells begin to grow in other parts of the body. This includes your intestines. It causes symptoms such as irritable bowel syndrome, but it may be worse before and during menstruation. Another sign that you may have endometriosis is pain when you start to have a bowel movement or have sex. Some women also have rectal bleeding. Your doctor can diagnose intestinal endometriosis through different imaging tests. Sometimes you can control your symptoms with medicine. Your doctor may also recommend surgery.

• Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)

The bacteria in our intestines help us digest food and maintain our health, but people with irritable bowel syndrome are more likely to carry too many of these bacteria. This can cause unresolved diarrhoea and weight loss.

• Stomach Cancer

The symptoms of pancreatic cancer are similar to those of IBS, which is irritable bowel syndrome. And it can cause you to feel full and bloated.

What foods trigger IBS symptoms and IBS attacks?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder that causes muscle contractions in the intestines.

These foods can commonly trigger IBS symptoms:

• Products which are rich in high-fibre such as cereals, grains, pasta and processed foods.
• Foods which produces gas such as beans, lentils, carbonated beverages and cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower
• Proteins such as Gluten that can be found in wheat, barley, rye and many processed foods
• Fried foods can cause gas & bloating and people who have reflux are in high risk
• People suffering from reflux should not touch spicy foods as it can worsen IBS

Gut Health and IBS

Many patients with gut conditions such as IBS and IBD have been under medical care for their symptoms.

For IBS, patients may have had several tests carried out in their physical symptoms. However, if these tests do not show any abnormalities and come back clear a cause of symptoms has not been identified and IBS is diagnosed.

For gut health conditions such as IBS, this may then lead to medical treatment with medications to buscopan or mebeverine. However, these may not treat the underlying issue, only manage the symptoms.

However, even though these test for IBS may come back clear, research indicates that they are common causes of IBS symptoms. These include; changes in the gut microbiome, low-grade inflammation and food intolerances.

For patients with IBD (this includes conditions such as Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative colitis) the medical treatment is different. This can involve immune-suppressant medication, steroid medication and in some circumstances surgery.

There is also natural care and treatment for IBD which include dietary adjustments, natural supplements and holistic patient care.

Working with a gut health practitioner is an important aspect of addressing the underlying cause of gut health symptoms.