DEAR DOCTORS: I had just started a new job when the pandemic happened. On top of the lockdowns and home-schooling our kids, I was diagnosed with IBS. My husband read there's research that it's caused by stress, and that makes a lot of sense to me. Can you please talk about that research?
DEAR READER: IBS is short for irritable bowel syndrome. It affects the stomach and the intestines, which are part of the gastrointestinal tract. The word "syndrome" means that IBS isn't a disease, but rather a collection of certain types of symptoms. These can include abdominal gas, chronic bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and ongoing changes to the frequency and urgency of bowel movements. Someone with IBS also often has increased sensitivity to abdominal pain. Taken together, these symptoms indicate that something has gone awry in the inner workings of the bowels.
