Gas is caused by swallowing air and the breakdown of food in your digestive tract. The consequences are usually burping, feeling bloated, or passing gas. On average, most people pass gas at least 14 times per day. Some people have more gas than others, which may be uncomfortable or embarrassing.
The primary symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain or discomfort in association with frequent diarrhea or constipation and a change in bowel habits. There may also be urgency for bowel movements, a feeling of incomplete evacuation (tenesmus), bloating, or abdominal distension.
Overly hard squeezing (spasm) can result in cramps. However, the diarrhea of IBS can also occur without pain. IBS symptoms occur after eating because of the gastrocolic reflexâincreased movement of the intestinal contents in response to food entering the stomach. The strength of this reflex can be influenced by the volume and temperature of the food and the number of calories.