What is the meaning of IBS?


​Many patients ask me about IBS during my naturopathic practice consultations. This common condition is estimated to affect roughly one in every ten adults in New Zealand.

​Gastroenterologists diagnose IBS more frequently than any other digestive disorder. My daily work with gut health has shown me how this condition often leaves patients confused and frustrated.

IBS stands for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, a functional gastrointestinal disorder that disrupts the brain-gut connection. The condition's impact becomes clear when we consider that 60% of IBS patients have an extremely sensitive gut wall. This sensitivity causes increased discomfort from regular digestive movements.

​So let’s look at what it means for your body's function. 

How does IBS affect the body?

IBS represents a complex interaction between your digestive system and nervous system. Your body shows no visible physical damage with IBS, unlike conditions that harm intestinal tissue. Medical experts classify it as a functional gastrointestinal disorder that affects how your digestive system works. This difference matters because IBS won't increase your risk of colorectal cancer or cause lasting intestinal damage, even though it can be very uncomfortable.

IBS disrupts the normal functioning of your digestive muscles at its foundation. A healthy digestive system's intestinal muscles contract and relax in a gentle rhythm that moves food predictably. The muscles of people with IBS often spasm and contract longer and stronger than usual. These unusual contractions affect bowel movements directly. They either slow down digestion and lead to constipation or speed it up and cause diarrhoea. Many patients switch between both conditions.

The brain-gut connection plays a vital role in how IBS develops. This two-way communication network includes the central nervous system, autonomic nervous system, enteric nervous system, and hormonal pathways. Your gut's function changes when this complex signalling system gets disrupted.

People with IBS often have oversensitive nerve endings in their digestive tract. These nerves make normally unnoticeable sensations quite painful. Small gas bubbles that most people wouldn't notice can cause major discomfort in IBS patients.

Understanding what is irritable bowel syndrome requires us to see it as a disorder of gut-brain communication. It's not just "all in your head" but a real physical condition that measurably affects your digestive function and overall wellbeing.

What causes IBS?

Scientists still find the exact cause of irritable bowel syndrome mysterious because they haven't pinpointed a single definitive trigger. IBS is considered a multifactorial disorder with several interconnected mechanisms rather than one simple cause.

  • Your brain and digestive system's communication breakdown lies at the heart of IBS. This miscommunication leads to irregular muscle contractions in your digestive tract. Your colon muscles might contract more strongly or frequently than normal and cause cramps and faster food passage that leads to diarrhoea. Sometimes they contract less effectively and cause constipation.
 
  • IBS patients often experience visceral hypersensitivity, where normal amounts of gas or stool in the gut trigger pain signals. Research shows the majority of IBS patients have this heightened pain perception. This explains why sensations that wouldn't bother others can cause intense discomfort.
 
  • Gut microbiota composition changes play a crucial role. People with IBS show different types and amounts of bacteria in their digestive tracts compared to those without IBS. These changes affect gut motility, intestinal permeability, and immune function.
 
  • The development of IBS follows gastrointestinal infections in about 10% of cases. Bacterial infections create a 14% chance of developing post-infectious IBS. Parasitic infections pose an even higher risk at over 40%.
 
  • Stress activates inflammatory pathways that affect gut function through psychological factors. IBS patients more commonly experience early adverse life events like childhood trauma. A study revealed emotional abuse as the strongest predictor of developing IBS.
  • IBS runs in families due to genetic factors. Scientists have identified six genetic susceptibility regions linked to IBS through genome-wide studies. These include variations in serotonin-related genes that affect gut motility.
 
  • Women face 1.67 times higher risk than men of developing IBS. Female hormones can affect digestive transit time and sensitivity, which explains this increased risk.

How is IBS diagnosed and confirmed?

The process to diagnose irritable bowel syndrome is different from many other medical conditions. Unlike conditions with clear biomarkers, doctors can't use a single test to confirm IBS. They use a combination of elimination methods and specific diagnostic criteria to reach a conclusion.

Your GP will start with a detailed medical history. The original consultation involves questions about your bowel habits, symptom triggers, and when they first appeared. Your answers help create a pattern that gives important clues about your condition.  Importantly, your doctor will firstly focus on ruling out other possible causes rather than directly confirming IBS.

The Rome criteria serves as the main diagnostic tool for doctors. These internationally recognized guidelines state that IBS can be diagnosed if you've had abdominal pain at least once weekly for three months, with symptoms starting at least six months ago. The pain must also relate to bowel movements and cause changes in how often you go or how your stool looks.

Lab tests don't diagnose IBS directly but help rule out other conditions. Blood tests, stool analysis, and imaging like colonoscopy are common options. These tests become especially important if you show "red flag" symptoms that point to other conditions - unexpected weight loss, rectal bleeding, night pain that wakes you up, or symptoms starting after age 50.

Clear communication with your GP plays a crucial role throughout this process. Since no single test can confirm IBS, your detailed symptom history is a great way to get an accurate diagnosis of your condition.

Conclusion

IBS is more than just a digestive issue - it's a complex functional disorder. It is a condition that affects about 10% of adults and disrupts the communication between your brain and gut. Several factors contribute to IBS, including changes in gut microbiota, inflammation, genetic predisposition, and stress responses.

Your digestive discomfort matters, even though IBS doesn't cause lasting intestinal damage. The condition can significantly affect your quality of life. Anyone with persistent gut symptoms should firstly seek proper medical assessment.  Getting the right diagnosis through your GP is your first significant step toward better management.

Living with IBS can be challenging, but there are effective ways to manage it, starting with addressing the root causes. Issues such as a compromised gut lining and imbalanced microbiome are often at the core, and when properly supported, many people find relief without needing to eliminate multiple food groups or restrict their diet excessively.

​If you’ve been diagnosed with IBS or are struggling with ongoing digestive concerns, we’re here to help. Get in touch to book a free 10-minute chat and find out how we can support your gut health journey.
​
Vanessa Winter
​Naturopath & Medical Herbalist
BHSc (Deans Award for Academic Excellence), BED, Adv.Dip.Nat., Adv.Dip.Herb.Med., NMHNZ
​Registered with Naturopaths and Medical Herbalists of NZ (NMHNZ)

References

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs
https://www.monashfodmap.com/ibs-central/what-is-ibs/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4342-irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/irritable-bowel-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20360016
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/irritable-bowel-syndrome/definition-facts