What is Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is when your tummy feels grumpy and doesn’t work quite right.

Imagine your stomach is like a playground, it has lots of kids running around, playing games, and sometimes they get a little rowdy. In IBS, those kids are extra noisy or maybe even a bit upset, which makes the playground feel messy and uncomfortable. That’s how your tummy feels when you have IBS: it gets confused or upset, and that can cause things like bloating, stomach pain, or pooping problems.

Sometimes, certain foods act like a loudspeaker in the playground, they make the kids even noisier. Things like spicy food, chocolate, or fizzy drinks can be that extra shout that makes your tummy feel even grumpier.

Other times, stress is like a big argument on the playground, it makes everything more chaotic and uncomfortable. So if you're feeling stressed or worried, your tummy might react by being even more grumpy than usual.

But don’t worry! Even though your tummy feels grumpy sometimes, it can still be happy again with the right help and care.