IBS vs IBD

By the AllHealth UK editorial teamLast reviewed 26 August 2026Next review due 26 February 2027Compiled from published NHS and NICE guidance. Not reviewed by a clinician.

Is it IBS or IBD?

IBS causes cramping, bloating and changeable bowel habits that often ease once you have opened your bowels, and it does not damage the gut. IBD is inflammation of the bowel: persistent diarrhoea, often with blood, pain that does not ease, weight loss and fatigue. Bleeding from your bottom or bloody diarrhoea needs an urgent GP appointment or 111 the same day.

Immediate action required: call 999 or go to A&E if

Severe tummy pain
Bleeding non-stop from your bottom, or a lot of blood — the toilet water turns red or you see large clots
Vomiting blood, or vomit that looks like coffee grounds or soil

If you are weighing up whether it is bad enough to call, that is itself a reason to call. Nobody is annoyed by a 999 call that turns out to be the less serious of the two.

IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) compared with IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease)
Feature	IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)	IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease)
Typical signs	Cramping/bloating Alternating diarrhoea/constipation Relieved by bowel movements Symptoms often triggered by food, drink, caffeine, alcohol or stress Symptoms vary with stress/food	Persistent diarrhoea (often bloody) Abdominal pain not relieved by bowel movements Weight loss Fatigue and fever Urgent need to go
How long it lasts	Chronic — flares and remissions	Chronic — requires ongoing treatment
What helps	A food and symptom diary, regular meals, oats and linseeds for bloating, and peppermint oil or Buscopan from a pharmacist	Anti-inflammatory medication, immunosuppressants, sometimes surgery
What to do	See a GP	Call 111 today

Sources and further reading

This page was written from the following published guidance. All links checked 26 August 2026.

What to do next

Not sure whether this needs a doctor? These are your options, cheapest and fastest first.