IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) is one of the most common digestive conditions in the UK, affecting up to 1 in 5 people. Yet many sufferers spend months, even years, unsure whether their symptoms point to IBS or something else.

This free quiz is designed to help you recognise whether your symptoms may fit the typical IBS pattern. While it can’t confirm a diagnosis, it can guide you toward the right next steps from symptom tracking and lifestyle changes to advanced gut testing and personalised support.

If you need help with an IBS specialist please contact us

IBS Self-Assessment Quiz

Answer the following questions based on your symptoms over the last 3 months.

Section 1: Abdominal Pain

1. Have you experienced abdominal pain at least 1 day a week in the last 3 months?
   • Yes / No
2. Is this pain related to bowel movements (e.g., improves or worsens after going to the toilet)?
   • Yes / No

Section 2: Bowel Habit Changes

3. Have you noticed changes in how often you open your bowels (more or less often than usual)?
   • Yes / No
4. Have you noticed changes in stool form (looser, harder, or lumpy)?
   • Yes / No

Section 3: Additional Symptoms

5. Do you often feel bloated or swollen in your belly?
   • Yes / No
6. Do you sometimes see mucus in your stool?
   • Yes / No
7. Do you often feel like you haven’t fully emptied your bowels?
   • Yes / No

Section 4: Duration & Frequency

8. Have these symptoms been present for at least 6 months?
   • Yes / No
9. Have these symptoms occurred at least once a week for the last 3 months?
   • Yes / No

Scoring & Interpretation

According to the Rome IV criteria, IBS is suggested if:

• You answered Yes to Question 1 (abdominal pain), plus at least 2 of Questions 2–4, plus Yes to Q8 and Q9.

If your answers do not match this pattern, your symptoms may not fit IBS — but they could still point to another gut issue worth investigating.

This quiz is not a diagnosis. Always consult a healthcare professional for a proper assessment.

What Do My IBS Quiz Results Mean?

If your quiz results point toward IBS, you may feel both relieved and frustrated; relieved that there could be an explanation for your symptoms, but frustrated at the lack of a clear-cut test.

IBS is a functional gut disorder. That means symptoms arise from how the gut works, not from visible damage or disease. Common symptoms include:

• Abdominal pain or cramping
• Bloating and excess wind
• Diarrhoea, constipation, or both
• Mucus in stool
• Urgent or incomplete bowel movements
• Fatigue, poor sleep, anxiety, or brain fog

IBS or Something Else?

Many gut conditions share symptoms with IBS. It’s important not to self-diagnose without ruling out other causes.

Conditions That Mimic IBS

• SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth): Can cause bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, and pain.
  
  SIBO occurs when bacteria that normally live in the large intestine overgrow in the small intestine. This fermentation produces excess gas, leading to:
  Bloating (often worse after meals or in the evening. Abdominal pain or cramping Diarrhoea, constipation, or a mix of both, excessive belching or flatulence
  
• Key difference from IBS: Many people with SIBO experience symptoms that worsen after eating fermentable carbs such as rice, potatoes, patsa (FODMAPs). A breath test can confirm SIBO, whereas IBS is diagnosed by exclusion.
  
  
• Candida & yeast overgrowth: Linked with bloating, fatigue, sugar cravings, and thrush.
  
  Candida is a yeast that naturally lives in the gut, but stress, antibiotics, and high-sugar diets can cause it to overgrow. Symptoms can overlap with IBS and include: Persistent bloating and digestive discomfort, Fatigue or brain fog, Intense sugar cravings, Recurrent vaginal thrush or oral thrush
  
  
  Key difference from IBS: The presence of systemic symptoms like thrush, cravings, and fatigue may suggest yeast imbalance rather than IBS alone. Stool or urine tests can help identify overgrowth.
  
  
• Coeliac disease: Gluten intolerance that damages the small intestine.
  Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition where gluten (a protein in wheat, barley, and rye) triggers an immune reaction that damages the small intestine lining. Symptoms may include: Chronic diarrhoea or constipation Bloating, gas, abdominal painWeight loss or nutrient deficiencies (low iron, B12, folate) Fatigue, joint pain, or skin rashes (dermatitis herpetiformis)
  
  Key difference from IBS: Coeliac disease causes measurable gut damage and nutrient malabsorption. A blood test and biopsy confirm diagnosis. IBS does not damage the intestine.
  
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
  IBD includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, both of which involve chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. Symptoms may mimic IBS but are often more severe:
  
  
  Diarrhoea (sometimes with blood or mucus)
  
  
  Abdominal pain
  Unexplained weight loss
  Fever, fatigue, and anaemia
  
  Key difference from IBS: IBS does not cause inflammation, bleeding, or tissue damage. Calprotectin stool tests, colonoscopy, and imaging are used to detect IBD.
  
• Post-infectious IBS: Ongoing gut changes after food poisoning or gastroenteritis.
  Sometimes IBS develops after a bout of food poisoning, traveller’s diarrhoea, or viral gastroenteritis. Known as post-infectious IBS, symptoms can persist long after the infection has cleared: Ongoing bloating, cramping, or diarrhoea Sensitivity to certain foods. Relapses triggered by stress or illness
  
  
  Key difference from IBS: The clear onset after an infection is a clue. Research suggests damage to gut nerves and microbiome imbalances may drive symptoms.
  
  
• Parasites or gut infections: Especially after travel.
  Travel, contaminated food, or untreated water can introduce parasites such as Giardia or Blastocystis hominis. Chronic infections can look very similar to IBS, with:
  
  Persistent diarrhoea, urgency, or foul-smelling stools
  Bloating, gas, and abdominal pain
  Fatigue, nausea, or weight loss
  
  
  Key difference from IBS: Unlike IBS, parasites can be detected in stool tests and may require targeted antibiotic/ antimicrobial treatment.
  
  

Is It a Stomach Bug or IBS?

Both can cause diarrhoea, cramps, and nausea. The difference lies in duration:

• A stomach bug usually clears within a few days.
• IBS symptoms last for at least 3 months, often coming and going in flares.

If your symptoms began suddenly after illness or travel, it could be a gut infection or post-infectious IBS.

Red Flag Symptoms – When to See Your GP

While IBS is common and usually manageable, it’s important to seek medical advice if you notice:

• Unexplained weight loss
• Blood in your stool
• Severe or persistent pain that doesn’t improve
• A change in bowel habits in people over 50
• Night-time symptoms that wake you from sleep
• A family history of bowel conditions (including cancer, IBD, coeliac disease)

Your GP may recommend blood tests, stool samples, or specialist referral to rule out other conditions.

How Is IBS Diagnosed in the UK?

How the NHS Assesses IBS

If you visit your GP with ongoing digestive symptoms, the first step is usually to rule out other conditions before an IBS diagnosis is considered. This is because IBS is what doctors call a diagnosis of exclusion meaning there is no single test that confirms it.

Typical NHS Tests

• Blood tests – to check for:
  • Coeliac disease (gluten consumption damages the gut lining).
  • Anaemia (low iron or B12, which may suggest bleeding or absorption problems).
  • Thyroid problems (both underactive and overactive thyroid can mimic IBS).
    
• Stool tests – your GP may ask for a stool sample to rule out:
  • Infections such as parasites or bacterial causes of diarrhoea.
  • Calprotectin – a marker of gut inflammation, used to differentiate IBS from inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis.
  • FIT test (faecal immunochemical test) checks for hidden blood in the stool, often used as a bowel cancer screening tool.
• Referral to a gastroenterologist – if your symptoms are severe, persistent, or accompanied by red flags (such as weight loss or rectal bleeding), you may be referred to a hospital specialist for further tests, such as endoscopy or colonoscopy.

Other tests to consider for IBS

While the NHS does a good job of ruling out serious conditions, it does not investigate the root causes of IBS-like symptoms once those have been excluded. In the NHS, if standard blood and stool tests come back clear, many people are told they “just have IBS” and must learn to live with the symptoms. But this often overlooks other treatable drivers of gut problems including SIBO, Candida overgrowth, food sensitivities, and leaky gut.

For example:

• The NHS does not offer SIBO breath tests, even though SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) is strongly linked to IBS symptoms such as bloating, diarrhoea, and constipation.
• The NHS does not provide advanced stool testing like the GI-MAP, which uses DNA technology to detect parasites, yeast, bacteria, gut inflammation, and markers of leaky gut.
  
  
  

IBS Subtypes Explained

Doctors sometimes divide IBS into subtypes:

• IBS-D: Diarrhoea dominant
• IBS-C: Constipation dominant
• IBS-M: Mixed pattern (alternating diarrhoea & constipation)
• IBS-U: Unclassified

Knowing your subtype helps guide treatment choices.

IBS-D (Diarrhoea-predominant IBS)

• Main feature: frequent, loose, or watery stools.
• Often accompanied by urgency and abdominal pain that improves after a bowel movement.
• May be linked with hydrogen-dominant SIBO, food intolerances, or an overactive gut motility response due to stress or a parasite.
• Testing tip: A SIBO breath test is often useful, as hydrogen SIBO is strongly associated with diarrhoea.
• A stool test may identify parasites and yeast and viruses as well as camylobacter, shigella.
  
  

IBS-C (Constipation-predominant IBS)

• Main feature: infrequent, hard, or difficult-to-pass stools.
• Bloating, straining, and a feeling of incomplete emptying are common.
• Frequently linked with methane-dominant SIBO (also called Intestinal Methanogen Overgrowth, IMO), which slows down the bowel.
• Testing tip: tip: A SIBO breath test is often useful, as hydrogen SIBO is strongly associated with diarrhoea.
• GI-MAP or comprehensive stool testing can reveal low digestive enzyme output, dysbiosis, or imbalances that contribute to sluggish motility.

IBS-M (Mixed type)

• Main feature: alternating diarrhoea and constipation, sometimes within the same week.
• This form can be especially frustrating, as triggers and patterns are harder to identify.
• Can involve a combination of hydrogen and methane SIBO, or fluctuating gut motility influenced by stress, hormones, and diet.
• Testing tip: A comprehensive approach is often needed — combining stool testing, SIBO breath testing, and food intolerance assessment.

IBS-U (Unclassified IBS)

• Symptoms don’t fit neatly into diarrhoea, constipation, or mixed categories.
• Still involves typical IBS features such as bloating, abdominal pain, and irregular bowel habits.
• May reflect early-stage IBS, mild cases, or overlapping conditions such as food sensitivities or post-infectious gut changes.

Why Knowing Your IBS Subtype Matters

Each IBS subtype responds differently to diet, lifestyle, and treatment:

• IBS-D: often improves with low FODMAP diet, targeted antimicrobials, and gut-calming therapies.
• IBS-C: may respond to increased soluble fibre, motility support, or methane-targeted protocols.
• IBS-M: requires a flexible approach, balancing diarrhoea and constipation support.
• IBS-U: benefits from thorough testing to uncover hidden triggers.

Lifestyle Changes & Symptom Tracking

While no diet or lifestyle plan “cures” IBS, many people find improvements with:

• Eating smaller, more regular meals
• Cutting down on caffeine, alcohol, and high-fat foods
• Following a low FODMAP diet under professional guidance
• Practicing stress-reduction techniques (yoga, CBT, meditation)
• Getting 7–8 hours of quality sleep

Keeping a symptom diary can help you link foods and stress with flare-ups.

Functional Medicine Approach to IBS

Unlike conventional medicine, which focuses on symptom management, functional medicine looks for root causes:

• SIBO overgrowth
• Gut infections or parasites
• Candida imbalance
• Leaky gut (high Zonulin)
• Food sensitivities

By running targeted tests and addressing these imbalances, it’s often possible to reduce IBS symptoms significantly.

Next Steps if Your Quiz Suggests IBS

1. Track your symptoms with a diary or app.
2. See your GP to rule out red-flag conditions.
3. Order a private test to uncover root causes:
4. Book a consultation with an IBS specialist to create a personalised plan.
   
   At IBS & Gut Solutions, we combine advanced gut testing with specialist IBS consultations so you can finally move past guesswork and take control of your health.

Case Study: Sarah’s Story

Background:
Sarah, a 32-year-old teacher from London, had been struggling with bloating, unpredictable bowel habits, and stomach cramps for over a year. She wasn’t sure if her symptoms were down to stress, food intolerances, or something more serious.

The Quiz:
When Sarah came across the “Do I Have IBS?” quiz, she answered Yes to having weekly abdominal pain, noticed clear changes in stool form, and had frequent bloating. Based on the scoring, her results suggested that her symptoms were consistent with IBS according to the Rome IV criteria.

Next Steps:
Instead of ignoring the signs, Sarah booked an appointment with her GP to rule out other conditions such as coeliac disease and IBD. Once those were excluded, she arranged a private consultation with our clinic to dig deeper into possible triggers like SIBO and food sensitivities.

Outcome:
Through tailored testing and a personalised nutrition plan, Sarah discovered she had methane-dominant SIBO contributing to her constipation. After treatment and dietary adjustments, she reported a 70% improvement in her symptoms within 1 months.

Takeaway:
This case highlights how a simple quiz can help you recognise patterns, start conversations with your doctor, and guide you towards the right testing and treatment, rather than leaving symptoms unresolved.

FAQs – Do I Have IBS?

Q: Can I self-diagnose IBS?
A: No. IBS can only be confirmed once other conditions are excluded. This quiz is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Q: Is there an IBS test on the NHS?
A: The NHS does not test directly for IBS. They rule out other conditions. Private testing can also provide more insight.

Q: What is the best private test for IBS?
A: The GI-MAP stool test and SIBO breath test are informative for uncovering IBS-like symptoms.

Q: Is IBS permanent?
A: IBS is a chronic condition, but symptoms can often be managed and improved with diet, lifestyle, and functional support.

Final Thought

If your quiz results suggest IBS, you don’t have to face it alone. With the right combination of tracking, testing, and support, it’s possible to uncover the real drivers of your symptoms and build a plan that works for you.

Start today:

• Order a SIBO test
• Book Your IBS Consultation

Key Takeaway

If your GP has told you “it’s just IBS” without offering further testing or support, don’t feel you have to stop there. The NHS does not provide SIBO breath testing, GI-MAP stool testing, or food intolerance assessments — but these advanced tests can reveal underlying causes such as bacterial overgrowth, Candida, parasites, or leaky gut. With the right investigations and guidance, you can move beyond a label of IBS and get answers that lead to real improvement.

Book a SIBO Consultation. If you would like support with SIBO testing, personalised treatment plans, or guidance on herbal alternatives, see our SIBO testing page

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References

1. Oka, P., Parr, H., Barberio, B., Black, C. J., Savarino, E. V., & Ford, A. C. (2020). Global prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome according to Rome III or IV criteria: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 5(10), 908–917.
2. Drossman, D. A., & Hasler, W. L. (2016). Rome IV—functional GI disorders: disorders of gut-brain interaction. Gastroenterology, 150(6), 1257–1261
3. Mearin, F., Lacy, B. E., Chang, L., et al. (2016). Bowel disorders. Gastroenterology, 150(6), 1393–1407.
4. Waugh, N., Cummins, E., Royle, P., et al. (2013). Faecal calprotectin testing for differentiating amongst inflammatory and non-inflammatory bowel diseases: systematic review and economic evaluation. Health Technology Assessment, 17(55), 1–211.
5. Enck, P., Aziz, Q., Barbara, G., et al. (2016). Irritable bowel syndrome. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 2, 16014

About the Author

Victoria Tyler a UK registered Nutritional Therapist and member of the British Association of Nutritional therapy. She was awarded UK BSc Honours Degree in Nutritional Therapy and has trained in GI Functional Medicine. Victoria has been working with Gut disorders since 2004 after first experiencing digestive problems herself. She felt that the NHS was unable to provide the support individuals needed and went on to specialise in this area before offering a bespoke IBS service.

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