Signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) generally follow certain patterns that doctors use to diagnose the condition. Not everyone will experience the same symptoms, since there are different types of IBS. If you have IBS, your symptoms may be better on some days and worse on others.

While experts don’t know the cause of IBS, understanding what symptoms tend to come with IBS can help you talk to your gastroenterologist so you get the correct diagnosis. Getting proper treatment for IBS can improve your quality of life.

Here are 10 signs and symptoms of IBS.

1. Abdominal Pain

People who live with IBS often experience abdominal pain. In fact, about 3 in 4 people diagnosed with IBS report pain, and pain makes the condition more severe. Pain may be related to your bowel movements. For instance, you may have IBS pain when you need to poop or when you feel like you can’t poop or can’t get all of your poop out.

Some people experience this kind of pain after they eat and find that pooping actually helps relieve their discomfort. The pain may feel like your stomach is cramping. Researchers aren’t sure, but this pain may be due to nerves in your gastrointestinal tract becoming oversensitive.

2. Changes in Bowel Movements

Most people who live with IBS experience changes in how, how often, or when they poop. You may get diarrhea, become constipated, or experience both of these symptoms. About 35 percent of people with IBS have diarrhea, 28.5 percent have constipation, and 31 percent have both.

If you have diarrhea, your poop will become watery and loose. You’re also likely to feel like you have to poop urgently. If you’re experiencing constipation, your poop may become lumpy and hard. You may have to strain, or push really hard, to get your poop to come out, and you might feel like it still doesn’t all come out. Some people find that they have both of these symptoms at different times when IBS flares.

3. Mucus in Your Poop

If you look in the toilet after you poop when you’re having IBS symptoms, you might see mucus along with your poop. This mucus often looks like a white blob sitting in the toilet next to your poop. It may look like snot, be swirling around your poop, or be stuck to your poop. If your mucus is a color other than white, it’s time to check in with your healthcare provider. There may be something else going on in your digestive tract that needs medical attention.

4. Gas and Bloating

Sometimes, people who live with IBS experience excess gas and bloating. When gas builds up in your intestinal tract, it can make your stomach feel like it’s more swollen or full than it should be. This is bloating. Some people experience gas without bloating, while others may feel like they get bloated when they don’t have a lot of gas. However, these symptoms are more likely to show up together. Excess gas and the bloating it causes may lead to abdominal pain.

5. Feeling Like You Can’t Poop Enough

IBS may cause you to feel like you can’t get out all of the poop that you need to get out, no matter what you do. This might be more likely to occur in people who experience constipation when their IBS flares. However, anyone living with IBS can have this symptom. You might feel like you push and push, but you still have poop that your body wants to get rid of.

6. Excess Flatulence

Excess flatulence (gas), or farting a lot, may also come with other IBS symptoms. This makes sense, especially if you have a lot of gas. Farting is one way for gas to leave your digestive system. You may find that you feel better after you fart, if doing so relieves pressure that has been building up in your stomach and intestines. However, some people find that farting a lot is embarrassing. They may prefer to take care of their gas with medication or other treatments, rather than eliminating it by farting.

7. Fatigue

Some people living with IBS report feeling very tired or having very low energy. In fact, people living with IBS are more likely to also be diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, a condition that’s connected to severe fatigue. If you feel like your IBS flares come with a significant amount of tiredness, talk to a healthcare professional so you can find out if there’s anything else going on with your body.

8. Nausea

You may feel sick to your stomach, or nauseated, when you’re dealing with IBS symptoms. Around 30 percent of people with IBS do experience this at some point. Nausea may actually be a symptom of other digestive diseases that can occur alongside IBS. Thus, it’s important to see a gastroenterology specialist right away if you’re experiencing nausea often. They can determine whether you might need blood tests or stool tests to check for other conditions.

9. Back Pain

Back pain is sometimes reported as a symptom by people living with IBS. Researchers don’t know why this happens. It may be associated with abdominal cramps, which can sometimes be felt in the back as well as the front of the body. Similarly, pain associated with gas and bloating may affect your back, depending on where in the intestines you’re having these problems. If you have back pain with IBS, it’s important to report this symptom to your doctor.

10. Changes in How You Pee

Alongside changes in your bowels and bowel habits, you may experience changes that affect your pee. You may find that you need to pee all of a sudden or that you pee more than usual when you’re having an IBS flare. You might also feel like you can’t empty your bladder, so you always feel like you have to pee. Once again, researchers aren’t sure why people with IBS have these symptoms.

What Are the Symptoms of an IBS Flare-Up?

During an IBS flare-up, your symptoms suddenly get worse. They may be triggered by certain foods or drinks, by stress, or by taking certain medications, so lifestyle changes may help reduce the number of flares you experience. The common symptoms will be the same as any general IBS symptoms you have, such as cramps, bloating, and bowel changes.

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