Irritable bowel syndrome

The background - what's the resource about?

Welcome to this resource on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adults, which details the latest guidance from NICE (the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) on the care and treatment of people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome.
 
IBS is a painful and upsetting disorder that interferes with the normal functioning of the large bowel. Symptoms include pain or discomfort in the abdomen, bloating, urgent need to empty the bowel and changes in bowel habit, such as diarrhoea or constipation.

What's here?

Diagnosis. Read important facts about the condition and the importance of a careful analysis of symptoms in the diagnosis section.
 
Management. People with IBS can be given advice about physical activity, lifestyle, diet and available medicines to help them live with their condition. Read about these different aspects in the management section.
 
What is the purpose of the NICE guideline?  Read about the NICE guideline, what it covers and who it is written for. There's also a glossary to explain some of the specialised terms used in this website. 
 
What's most important? For health care professionals, the guideline has a series of key priorities for implementation. Visit the guideline resources section where you can find useful documents supporting guideline implementation. 

Where can I find online learning about IBS? Find out more about online learning available from the RCN's Learning Zone in the learning with the RCN section.

Discover more. Visit the discover more section where you can find out about other RCN resources you can use to add to and update information about IBS.

If you have any comments or enquiries regarding this resource please contact us at: qualityandsafety@rcn.org.uk.