Although, IBD & IBS share some common symptoms like abdominal pain, cramps & diarrhea. But they are two very different disorders. Certain symptoms help differentiate IBD from IBS such as fever, weight loss, blood in stool & presence of intestinal & extra intestinal complications in IBD.
| IBD | IBS |
|---|---|
| IBD stands for “Inflammatory Bowel Diseases” | IBS stands for “Irritable Bowel Syndrome” |
| IBD is a structural disease | IBS is a functional disorder |
| IBD cause inflammation, ulcers or other damage to the bowel | In IBS, the digestive system looks normal but doesn't work as it should |
| IBD can cause permanent damage to the GI tract | IBS does not cause permanent damage to the GI tract |
It is possible to be diagnosed with both conditions (IBD & IBS).
Approximately 20% of patients with IBD can have concurrent IBS symptoms.