Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Irritable bowel syndrome, known as IBS, is a common gut disorder. It affects more women than men.

Symptoms tend to come and go and can vary, but you may experience abdominal pain, bloating, and bouts of diarrhoea, constipation or a combination of both. Your symptoms may become worse with stress or anxiety. In a small number of cases, intolerance to certain foods may play a part.

The cause of irritable bowel syndrome is unknown but it may have something to do with over-activity of the nerves or muscles of the gut. There is no cure for IBS, but symptoms can often be eased with treatment.

If you experience symptoms of IBS, contact IPSA for an immediate appointment with our experienced doctors.

Treating IBS at IPSA

At the IPSA clinic, you will be seen by our resident doctor in a clean and quiet environment at a time to suit you.

We will give you a full consultation to discuss all your symptoms and our doctor will conduct a thorough examination to exclude any serious causes for your symptoms.

We may recommend a full blood screen to rule out other conditions like coeliac disease and inflammatory bowel or thyroid disorders. Our doctor can carry out all bloods tests immediately and will discuss the results with you on a one-to-one basis.

During your consultation at IPSA, we will discuss different methods of treatment for your symptoms and go thorough diet and management at home.

Depending on your symptoms, we may offer a range of medications to help control them. Your doctor may recommend trialling a newer medication like Rifaximin, which has been shown to improve IBS symptoms. We will discuss how each of these medicines work and which is the most suitable option for you.

The doctor will also go through diet plans and lifestyle changes you can make to minimise your IBS symptoms and help keep it under control.

If you need any further advice or support during your recovery, our doctor will be available by phone on a seven-day basis.

We can offer you a sick note during your consultation to cover absences from work if necessary.

Is IBS Serious?

If you have IBS it often occurs periodically throughout life. The symptoms normally occur during the day and can be very uncomfortable, but the condition is not life-threatening and cannot result in cancer or serious intestinal disease.

Over time, symptoms can improve, get worse or even disappear for years. Often, all that is needed is an understanding of the syndrome and some lifestyle changes to ease mild symptoms. If you suffer from more severe symptoms, treatment with medicines will usually help.

In some cases, IBS type symptoms may indicate something more serious. Ovarian cancer in women can present with similar symptoms.

If you experience symptoms of IBS and are aged 50 or over, our doctors may carry out further investigations to rule out other more malignant causes.

If you any of the following apply, contact IPSA immediately:

• Unexplained weight loss.
• Anaemia.
• You doctor can feel unexplained lumps in your tummy or back passage.
• Rectal bleeding.
• A family history of bowel or ovarian cancer.
• If you are aged over 60 and have experienced a change in bowel habit lasting more than six weeks.

Contact IPSA for a same-day appointment with a doctor or book a consultation online.