S1E106: Can stress trigger IBS?

The Straits Times Podcasts · May 16, 2023 · 21m

Find out why stress is not the root cause of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), though it can trigger or worsen IBS.

Synopsis: Every first and third Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.

Many people think that stress can cause IBS or irritable bowel syndrome, a common condition that causes recurrent episodes of diarrhoea, constipation, bloating, or abdominal pain. But this is not true.

Stress can trigger or worsen IBS, but it is not the root cause, says Dr Andrew Ong, a consultant gastroenterologist at the Singapore General Hospital…