Your Health Questions
Answered by Professionals

Choose gentle, easy-to-digest foods: well-cooked low fiber vegetables, bananas or applesauce, refined grains like white rice or well-cooked oatmeal, and lean proteins such as eggs, fish, tofu, or skinless poultry, with small amounts of healthy fats; limit raw high fiber foods, spicy items, alcohol, caffeine, fried or highly processed foods, and excess sugar. There are several factors to consider, including what to do during flares versus remission, how dairy or probiotics may affect you, whether symptoms suggest IBS or IBD, and red flags that need medical care; see the complete guidance below to decide safe next steps.

Ulcerative colitis pain is typically crampy, aching discomfort in the lower abdomen, often on the lower left, that comes in waves with urgency and may ease after a bowel movement; gas pressure and bloating can also occur, especially during flares. Severe or rapidly worsening pain, fever, abdominal swelling, or pain that feels different can signal complications and needs prompt medical care; there are several factors to consider, so see below for key details on pain patterns, red flags, and the right next steps.

Abdominal pain with bleeding should be checked for IBD when it lasts more than two to three weeks, keeps returning or is getting worse, or occurs with bowel changes such as persistent diarrhea, urgency, or a feeling of incomplete emptying, especially with weight loss, fatigue, fever, or anemia. There are several factors to consider; see below to understand more. Seek urgent care right away for severe or worsening pain, heavy or continuous bleeding, black tar-like stools, vomiting blood, dizziness or fainting, or fever with abdominal tenderness, and find next steps and full details below.

Most often in the lower right abdomen, where the terminal ileum is located; pain can also appear in the lower left abdomen, around the belly button, the upper abdomen, or the rectal and anal area, depending on which part of the GI tract is inflamed. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand how pain location changes during flares, when symptoms signal an urgent problem, and which details can guide your next steps and a discussion with your doctor.

IBD pain is usually felt in the abdomen and varies by what part of the gut is inflamed: Crohn’s most often causes lower right abdominal pain but can be diffuse, upper abdominal, or perianal, while ulcerative colitis typically causes lower left abdominal and rectal pain with cramping. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand how pain can shift during flares, when symptoms outside the abdomen can occur, and which warning signs should prompt urgent medical care.

Mucus with blood in stool usually points to irritation or inflammation in the lower gut, often from hemorrhoids or anal fissures, but it can also come from infections, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticular disease, or less commonly colon polyps or cancer; the blood’s color and any accompanying symptoms are key clues. There are several factors to consider, including when to seek urgent care or talk to a doctor if bleeding is persistent, heavy, black or tarry, or accompanied by pain, fever, dizziness, or weight loss; see below for important details, tests doctors may use, and immediate steps you can take.

Bowel symptoms often flare around menstruation because hormone shifts and prostaglandins change gut motility and sensitivity, causing constipation before a period and diarrhea, cramping, bloating, and gas during bleeding; the gut-brain axis and temporary inflammation add to this, and IBS can make everything feel worse. There are several factors to consider, including red-flag symptoms and other possible causes like endometriosis, IBD, or celiac disease; see below for complete details that could shape your next steps and when to speak with a clinician.

There are several factors to consider, from a normal vasovagal response and straining to dehydration or electrolyte loss, blood sugar dips, stress via the gut brain axis, and IBS; see below to understand more. More serious causes like IBD and anemia from GI bleeding can also do this, so if the fatigue is persistent or paired with red flags such as blood or black stools, weight loss, fever, severe abdominal pain, or weeks of diarrhea or constipation, contact a clinician; key warning signs, practical steps, and how to tell IBS from IBD are covered below.

Abdominal pain with diarrhea is most often due to temporary causes like infection, food intolerance, or IBS, but if it keeps coming back, lasts more than 2 to 3 weeks, or is severe, it could be inflammatory bowel disease. There are several factors to consider, including red flags like blood in stool, weight loss, fever, or nighttime diarrhea; see below for key differences between IBS and IBD, how IBD is diagnosed, and the next steps to take.

There are several factors to consider. Daily stomach pain with loose stools most commonly comes from IBS, food intolerances, stress related gut changes, medication side effects, or lingering infections and gut imbalances, with less common but important causes like inflammatory bowel disease and gallbladder or pancreatic issues. See the complete answer below for key warning signs and next steps, and seek prompt care if you notice blood or black stools, fever, unintended weight loss, severe or night time pain, or signs of dehydration.

Abdominal pain often worsens right before a period because estrogen and progesterone drop, prostaglandins rise and trigger stronger uterine contractions, and hormone related digestive changes like bloating or constipation increase pressure and pain sensitivity; it often eases once bleeding begins as prostaglandins fall. There are several factors to consider, including pressure on nearby organs, stress related muscle tension, and conditions like endometriosis, fibroids, IBS, or primary dysmenorrhea, plus red flags such as sudden severe pain, fever, vomiting, fainting, or heavy bleeding that need medical care; see below for details, home relief options, and when to seek help.

Bowel disease affects absorption because chronic inflammation damages the intestinal lining and villi, speeds transit, and reduces absorptive surface area, while scarring, strictures, surgical removal of segments, and microbiome changes further limit uptake of nutrients, fluids, and medications. There are several factors to consider. See below for the complete answer, including which bowel segments and conditions are involved, common deficiencies like iron, vitamin B12, and vitamin D, red flags that need prompt care, how treatment can improve absorption, and how IBD differs from IBS.

There are several factors to consider: the gut and brain communicate in a two way system of nerves, hormones, immune signals, and the microbiome, so stress can worsen digestive symptoms while ongoing symptoms can heighten anxiety and low mood. Key drivers include chronic pain and urgency, inflammatory cytokines that shift brain chemistry, microbiome disruption, heightened sensitivity to gut signals, and social impacts like embarrassment and isolation. For practical next steps and when to seek care, see the complete answer below.

Bowel pain that increases after eating usually happens because digestion triggers the gastrocolic reflex, increasing intestinal contractions that can hurt when the gut is sensitive or inflamed. Common contributors include IBS and visceral hypersensitivity, gas from fermentable foods, motility changes, and especially inflammatory bowel disease, while less commonly reduced blood flow after meals can cause severe pain. Because some causes need timely treatment, seek care for red flags like blood in stool, weight loss, fever, anemia, or pain that wakes you, and see the complete guidance with next steps below.

Chronic diarrhea causes dehydration because frequent, rapid, watery stools prevent the intestines from reabsorbing fluid and flush out large amounts of water and electrolytes, so fluid losses outpace what you can take in. Losses of sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate make it harder for the body to maintain blood volume and organ function, increasing risk if diarrhea persists; there are several factors and red flags to consider, so see the complete details below to guide safe next steps.

Crohn’s abdominal pain often comes and goes because the disease flares and then quiets, with changing inflammation that affects gut nerves and muscle activity, along with strictures, digestion and microbiome shifts, stress, medication effects, and overlapping conditions like IBS or food intolerances. There are several factors to consider; see below for key red flags that need urgent care, how doctors distinguish active inflammation from other causes, and practical steps you can take to reduce pain swings.

Crohn’s can cause diarrhea even when you have not eaten because ongoing immune inflammation makes the intestines secrete fluid, reduces water reabsorption, triggers bile acid malabsorption if the ileum is involved, and speeds gut movement, so loose stools can occur day and night. There are several factors to consider. See below for key warning signs that need urgent care, how to tell if this points to active disease, and evidence based treatments and next steps to discuss with your doctor.

Crohn’s pain often moves because inflammation can involve different parts of the bowel at different times, intestinal motility and gas shift discomfort along the tract, and shared nerve pathways create referred pain; scar-related narrowing and stress can also make pain feel migratory. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more, including red flags that need urgent care and practical next steps like symptom tracking and when to talk with your doctor.

Abdominal pain after eating in IBD often occurs because inflamed, hypersensitive intestines overreact to normal digestion. Stronger post-meal contractions, gas and bloating, irritation of ulcers, and pressure at narrowed segments called strictures can all trigger cramping. Timing and specific food triggers can help localize the problem, and red flags like severe or worsening pain, vomiting, fever, blood in stool, weight loss, or signs of blockage need urgent care; for complete guidance, practical tips, and next steps, see below.

There are several factors to consider: chronic inflammation diverts energy and triggers cytokines, while anemia, poor nutrient absorption, sleep disruption from pain or urgency, dehydration, medication side effects, and stress all compound fatigue. Many of these causes are treatable and some warrant prompt care, so see below for the full breakdown, warning signs, and how to decide your next steps with your healthcare team.

Inflammation changes bowel movements through several mechanisms: it can speed up or slow gut motility, damage the intestinal lining that absorbs water, trigger extra fluid and electrolyte secretion, irritate gut nerves, and disrupt gut bacteria, which can cause diarrhea or constipation, urgency, cramping, mucus or blood, and dehydration. There are several factors to consider; see below to understand more. In conditions like IBD these changes are visible and can flare and remit, while IBS does not show tissue damage, and the differences, red flags, and when to seek care are explained below to help guide your next steps.

Inflammation can cause bleeding by weakening and making blood vessels leaky, breaking down tissue into erosions or ulcers that expose vessels, and interfering with normal clotting. There are several factors to consider, including that bleeding is common in IBD but not typical of IBS, and knowing warning signs and treatment options can guide next steps; see below for details.

There are several factors to consider. That constant “inflamed” feeling is most often due to IBS and heightened gut sensitivity along the gut brain axis, so normal gas, stretching, meals, or stress can feel painful even when tests look normal. Other causes like food intolerances, SIBO, medication side effects, pelvic floor dysfunction, or hormonal shifts can overlap, and red flags like weight loss, blood in stool, fever, persistent vomiting, anemia, or night-time symptoms need urgent care; see below for important details, an IBS symptom check, and practical next steps on diet, stress, sleep, and targeted medicines to discuss with your clinician.

There are several factors to consider; morning gut discomfort is commonly from normal overnight physiology, diet timing, stress, constipation, reflux, or IBS, and less often from true inflammation like IBD. See below for key details that could change next steps, including simple fixes, how to tell IBS from IBD, and urgent red flags such as blood in stool, unexplained weight loss, persistent nighttime pain, fever, or weeks of diarrhea that should prompt medical care.

Stomach pain that builds before a bowel movement in IBS is common and usually comes from strong or uncoordinated gut contractions, a sensitive gut-brain connection, trapped gas and pressure, and an exaggerated gastrocolic reflex after eating; the pain often eases once you pass stool. There are several factors to consider. See below for common triggers and practical relief steps, plus warning signs that are not typical for IBS like blood in stool, unexplained weight loss, fever, pain that wakes you, persistent vomiting, anemia, or a sudden change after age 50, which should prompt a doctor visit.

Ulcerative colitis can cause constant fatigue because chronic inflammation drains energy and disrupts sleep and brain signaling, while anemia or nutrient deficiencies reduce oxygen and energy production; medications and ongoing stress can add to the exhaustion, even in remission. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more, including red flags that need urgent care and practical next steps like targeted blood tests, sleep and mental health review, and treatment adjustments.

Frequent trips happen because chronic inflammation and ulcers in the colon and rectum disrupt water absorption and stool storage, speed up and uncoordinate colon contractions, and irritate rectal nerves, causing diarrhea and intense urgency even for small amounts of stool, gas, or mucus. There are several factors to consider, including rectal involvement, mucus or blood, flare versus remission, and stress effects. See below for the complete answer, including warning signs like dehydration or anemia and what steps to take with your healthcare team.

Women are diagnosed about 1.5 to 2 times more often, likely due to hormone effects on the gut, sex differences in gut brain communication and pain processing, slower colon motility, immune differences, more common overlapping conditions like pelvic floor dysfunction and endometriosis, and greater stress exposure and health seeking that increase detection. There are several factors to consider; see below for how symptoms vary with the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause, which red flags mean you should see a doctor, and the full set of treatment options you can discuss next.

Chronic diarrhea in women means loose or watery stools lasting 4 weeks or more and can stem from IBS-D, IBD, hormonal changes, food intolerances like lactose or celiac disease, lingering infections, or medications. There are several factors to consider; see below to understand red flags that need prompt care such as blood, weight loss, fever, nighttime symptoms, dehydration, or severe pain, and to learn about evaluation, symptom tools, and practical steps that can guide your next healthcare decisions.

Women often misinterpret bowel disease symptoms because common issues like periods, stress, or diet can mimic early IBD and get mistaken for IBS. Persistent diarrhea, rectal bleeding, weight loss, fatigue, or pain that wakes you at night are red flags that deserve medical evaluation. There are several factors to consider. See below for the full list of symptoms, how hormones and life stages can obscure IBD, the differences between IBS and IBD, and clear next steps for testing and advocating for timely care.