Types of IBS

Everyone IBS is unique. Just because you auntie Jackie has abdominal pains with hers whilst you’re sitting here having gone to the toilet 5x already this morning, doesn’t mean you don’t have IBS. As always, seek a healthcare professional on diagnosing your IBS. However, here are some of the main common types that you may fall into and a brief explanation to what’s happening in your gut:

• IBS-C = People with IBS-C primarily experience constipation as their main symptom. This can be caused by: Muscles in the intestine moving too slow or weakly, reduced sensitivity in the colon (leading to a decreased awareness of the need to pass stools) or dehydration of the stool
  
  
• IBS-D = People with IBS-D primarily experience diarrhoea as their main symptom. This can be caused by: accelerated motility (muscles in the intestine contracting more rapidly or forcefully than normal) and heightened sensitivity in the intestines
  
  
• IBS-M = People with IBS-M experience both diarrhoea and constipation, with it fluctuating between the two. This can be caused by: Altered gut motility (irregular contractions in the intestine), increased sensitivity in the gut, psychological factors such as stress or anxiety and gut microbiota or inflammation.

It’s important to note that there often isn’t a singular cause or type of IBS. These are just the main types. You can find out more about causes on the Causes of IBS page.