Does IBS Get Worse With Age? [+ Managing IBS As You Age]

Have your elderly loved one been making frequent trips to the bathroom?

While irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is common at any age, it’s tough to see your senior parent or relative struggle with digestive discomfort.

The exact cause of IBS remains unclear; however, research suggests that food intolerance and stress can make it more prevalent among the elderly.

But does IBS get worse with age? In this article, we’ll define irritable bowel syndrome, outline its symptoms, and answer frequently asked questions about its connection to aging.

We’ll also highlight how our senior care services support elderly patients managing IBS symptoms and improve their quality of life.

What Is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a neurogastrointestinal (GI) disorder that affects your gut.

Symptoms can include sharp pain, cramping, belly pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea or constipation, or both.

IBS is a chronic condition that most people can manage by changing their habits and what they eat, taking medicine, and conducting cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Types of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Researchers categorize irritable bowel syndrome based on how your feces look on the days you’re having symptom flare-ups.

Individuals suffering from IBS can have normal poop some days and abnormal poop other days. The abnormal days define what kind of IBS you have.

• IBS with constipation (IBS-C): Most of your stool is firm and lumpy
• IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D): Most of your stool is watery
• IBS with mixed bowel habits (IBS-M): You experience both hard and lumpy feces, and at other times, loose stool

Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome may often manifest or only during flare-ups. This means the condition isn’t persistent. Rather, IBS can subside, allowing for regular bowel movements, before recurring.

The common symptoms or irritable bowel syndrome include:

• Abdominal discomfort or cramping, typically linked to the need to pass bowel
• Increased gas and bloating
• Whitish mucus in your stool
• Diarrhea, constipation, or cycling between the two

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Triggers

Triggers don’t cause IBS but can initiate or intensify a flare-up. If you suffer from this condition, you might find that specific factors exacerbate your symptoms, including:

• Hormonal fluctuations: Fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone can affect gastrointestinal function and trigger IBS, as receptor cells for female sex hormones exist in your gastrointestinal tract.
• Certain foods: Food sensitivities vary, but dairy, gluten-containing foods like wheat, and gas-inducing foods commonly trigger symptoms. This is because some adults produce only small amounts of lactase — the intestinal enzyme that breaks down milk sugar. Without enough lactase, the small intestine can’t absorb lactose, which then passes undigested sugar into the colon, where bacterial fermentation produces gas.
• Stress: A study found that IBS may be the gut’s response to stress, hence the terms “nervous stomach” or “anxious stomach.”

How Are IBS and Age Connected?

Irritable bowel syndrome is a common digestive issue that can occur at any age, but it tends to be more frequent in older adults.

Interestingly, research suggests a link between IBS and psychological issues like anxiety and depression, which can be particularly challenging for elderly individuals managing both mental and physical health changes with age.

Does IBS Get Worse With Age?

While aging alone doesn’t naturally aggravate IBS, several age-related factors can influence the disorder, including:

• Digestive System Changes: The digestive system may become less efficient with age and the gut’s sensitivity to specific foods may heighten. This potentially intensifies IBS symptoms.
• Lifestyle and Dietary Changes: Dietary habits often shift with age, impacting IBS symptoms. Elderly individuals may consume less fiber and engage in fewer physical activities, both of which can intensify IBS.
• Increased Medication Intake: Increased medication use in the elderly can impact gastrointestinal health and potentially exacerbate IBS symptoms. For example, antibiotics can disrupt gut bacteria, while some cough syrups containing sorbitol or high fructose corn syrup can cause diarrhea.

Does IBS Go Away With Age?

No, IBS doesn’t usually disappear with age and varies from person to person.

Many young individuals experience this condition during their high school and college years, only to see it subside later.

Some patients endure persistent symptoms for many years, while others experience them briefly before they resolve.

There are also patients who develop IBS after a gastrointestinal infection, perhaps from consuming contaminated food. This scenario can lead to post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome.

How To Manage IBS Symptoms in the Elderly

There’s no cure for irritable bowel syndrome. However, some methods can help improve your elderly loved one’s quality of life despite the condition.

Encourage your elderly loved one to:

• Check on their stress levels: Managing IBS can be stressful, and this can intensify with stress from other age-related conditions. Ask them to go for walks, meditate, write in a journal, or enjoy their favorite activities to help keep stress at bay.
• Adopt a healthy diet: Eat fiber-rich and probiotic-rich foods, nuts, fruits, and vegetables to help stool pass and decrease gas production.
• Adjust their lifestyle: Encourage your elderly loved one to consider quitting smoking, increasing their physical activity, eating smaller meals, and ditching coffee. You can also consult their doctor for more personalized advice on lifestyle changes.
• Discuss medication options with their doctor: Your loved one’s doctor might recommend anticholinergics to help manage intestinal muscle spasms and probiotics to reduce discomfort and bloating.

Help Alleviate Your Elderly Loved One’s IBS Symptoms With Always Best Care

Irritable bowel syndrome is a relatively common chronic disorder that affects the stomach and intestines, requiring long-term management.

At Always Best Care, our compassionate and knowledgeable team is dedicated to assisting you and your loved one through the challenging but inevitable journey of aging.

Operating in over 250 locations throughout the United States and Canada, we provide top-tier care to ensure an optimal patient experience.

Our exceptional senior care services include:

• In-home care services: Our team offers dedicated home care tailored for IBS management. This can include tailored meal preparations that adhere to dietary restrictions, medication reminders, companionship, and personal hygiene assistance.
• Skilled home health care services: In select areas, we develop personalized care plans to meet individual health needs and provide expert care for chronic conditions, such as IBS.
• Specialized home care services: We can help support your loved one’s digestive health through emergency response and remote monitoring systems.
• Respite care services: Whether you require a caregiver for a brief interval or an extended period, we can manage your loved one’s specific needs related to IBS, so you can attend to other duties.
• Dementia care services: We can support your family member with dementia, concentrating on their safety, comfort, and overall wellness.
• Senior living referral services: We help you find senior living facilities that align with your elderly loved one’s needs and preferred locations.
• Veterans assistance program: We’re dedicated to helping veterans access financial aid for care as a heartfelt expression of our gratitude for their service.