What is the relationship of stress to IBS?
Stress does not cause IBS. It can influence symptoms. Stress is the body’s normal response to stimuli, or stressors. It has been shown to increase motility and sensation of the colon to a greater degree in IBS patients compared to healthy individuals without IBS. Stress may modify signals between the brain and the intestinal tract. Factors that might normally affect the bowel might then affect it more. The stress factors could be physical, dietary, psychologic, or environmental. A person with IBS might eat a regular meal and experience a bowel problem. For them, it’s an overreaction of the bowel to the stressors.
