Seven little known symptoms of IBS which only affect women - and when to act

IBS is a common gastrointestinal ailment that affects a huge number of Brits., but it can impact men and women differently. Women can have feel both mental and physical impacts

There are a number of strange irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms that can affect women in a range of ways.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said that “the onset of IBS is most often between the ages of 20 and 30 years and IBS is twice as common in women as in men”. It is not clear how many people in the UK population have the condition as many do not seek medical advice. Around 10 percent of the overall population will experience IBS symptoms every year, the public health body said. It is more commonly felt in women.

While IBS is common, serious symptoms should not be ignored. You should contact your doctor if you think you have IBS. If you already have IBS, tell your doctor if you have lost weight, have diarrhea waking you up while you are asleep or if you are passing blood. Symptoms can impact women differently. So what are those symptoms?

IBS symptoms in women

Menstrual cycle

A woman’s menstrual cycle may impact how they experience IBS symptoms. This is because “hormones fluctuate throughout your menstrual cycle, and this shift in hormones can intensify your IBS symptoms”, according to the Gynecology and Obstetric Medical Group. The medical experts said women can avoid the worst parts of bad symptoms by avoiding problem foods that produce gas or trigger discomfort. Regular exercise may also help.

The US-based Weill Cornell Medicine said: “In general, immediate before a woman menstruates, there’s a higher level of oestrogen and progesterone that causes more bloating and constipation. Then hormone levels start to fall at the onset of menstruation, and during their periods, women tend to have more symptoms of diarrhoea and increased pain sensitivity.”

Affected sex lives

One of the ways IBS can impact women is through affecting their sex lives. Nutritionist Rohini Bajekal told Cosmopolitan that IBS can impact a woman’s sex drive. She said: "IBS has a known impact on sexual dysfunction, ranging from a decreased sexual drive to painful intercourse. Women who suffer from IBS have more difficulty relaxing and enjoying sex and are more likely to avoid sex than men."

Abdominal bloating

This symptom affects both women and men, but NICE explained that it is more common in women.

Back pain

Women suffering with IBS have reported feeling back pain. Verywell Health said the link between back pain and IBS could be because of things like gas pressure, swollen bowels or colon spasms.

Feeling sick

Women experiencing IBS may feel nausea, but this is less common according to the NHS. A number of factors may cause this, including indigestion or another condition known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This is when stomach acid flows back up into the oesophagus connecting the mouth and stomach.

Mental health

Women with IBS can suffer mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Weill Cornell Medicine said: “Women also are more psychologically affected by GI symptoms—they report more depression and anxiety, and a decreased quality of life.” Research from the University of Missouri School of Medicine published last year looked at a link between IBS and anxiety and depression in both men and women. The study found that among 1.2 million patients in 4,000 hospitals in a three-year period, more than 38 percent had anxiety while 27 percent had depression. This was double the number of people suffering with anxiety and depression who did not have IBS.

Pregnancy

Hormone changes can affect IBS symptoms in women and one of the ways this can occur is through pregnancy. Medical News Today said that pregnancy and IBS symptoms “tend to overlap”. High levels of the steroid hormone progesterone can slow down how quickly a person is processing food, leading to worsened constipation. Every person is different, however, and there have been some studies that pain during IBS flare ups may be reduced when a woman is pregNant.