Digestive Health Heartburn GERD IBS and GERD Similarities and Treatments By Barbara Bolen, PhD Barbara Bolen, PhD Twitter Barbara Bolen, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and health coach. She has written multiple books focused on living with irritable bowel syndrome. Learn about our editorial process Updated on July 19, 2022 Medically reviewed by Jay N. Yepuri, MD, MS Medically reviewed by Jay N. Yepuri, MD, MS Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Jay Yepuri, MD, MS, is board-certified in gastroenterology. He is a partner with Digestive Health Associates of Texas and a medical director at Texas Health Harris Methodist HEB Hospital. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print If you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), you will need to use dietary measures, and possibly medication, to manage the symptoms of both conditions. Hero Images / Getty Images Studies suggest that between 25 to 32% of people with IBS will experience both disorders. Because IBS and GERD share many of the same characteristics, as many as 81% will experience an overlap of symptoms. This can sometimes lead to a delay in the diagnosis of the co-existing (comorbid) condition and a delay in starting the right treatment. Understanding more about this link and overlap can help you develop a strategy for managing your range of symptoms if you have both IBS and GERD. Signs and Symptoms of GERD GERD is a condition in which the sphincter at the bottom of your esophagus does not work properly. Because of this, the contents of the stomach can sometimes back up (reflux) into the esophagus. Symptoms of GERD include: Heartburn (a burning sensation in the chest), sometimes spreading to the throat or accompanied by a bitter taste in the mouthAcid reflux (regurgitation of food or liquid)Chest painDysphagia (difficulty swallowing)Dry coughSore throatHoarse voiceSensation of a lump in the back of your throat Symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Causes of Comorbid IBS and GERD There are no definitive answers that explain why these two disorders often co-exist. Sometimes IBS and GERD are triggered by the same underlying digestive dysfunction. For example, visceral hypersensitivity (extreme sensitivity of internal organs) can trigger motility dysfunction (abnormal intestinal contractions) of the upper and/or lower GI tract. And sometimes IBS is one aspect of the full spectrum of GERD. Treatment If you suffer from both IBS and GERD, it is important to work with your healthcare provider to develop a comprehensive plan to manage both conditions. This may include a combination of diet, stress reduction, and prescription and non-prescription medications. Part of the goal would be to identify any foods that trigger your IBS and/or GERD. An elimination diet is often used to help with this process. Gradually, over time, new foods are introduced to see which trigger IBS, GERD, or both. And if necessary, each condition would be treated with separate medications. Antacids and acid-blocking medications are typically used for GERD. Antispasmodics and anti-anxiety medications are common, first-line treatments for IBS. GERD Surgery: Everything You Need to Know 8 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Sperber AD, Dekel R. Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Co-morbid Gastrointestinal and Extra-gastrointestinal Functional Syndromes. J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2010;16(2):113-9. doi:10.5056/jnm.2010.16.2.113 GERD. US National Library of Medicine. Symptoms & Causes of GER & GERD. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. US Department of Health and Human Services. November 2014. GERD (Chronic Acid Reflux). Cleveland Clinic. December 2019. De bortoli N, Tolone S, Frazzoni M, et al. Gastroesophageal reflux disease, functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome: common overlapping gastrointestinal disorders. Ann Gastroenterol. 2018;31(6):639-648. doi:10.20524/aog.2018.0314 Farzaei MH, Bahramsoltani R, Abdollahi M, Rahimi R. The Role of Visceral Hypersensitivity in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Pharmacological Targets and Novel Treatments. J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2016;22(4):558-574. doi:10.5056/jnm16001 Chey WD. Elimination Diets for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Approaching the End of the Beginning. Am J Gastroenterol. 2019;114(2):201-203. doi:10.14309/ajg.0000000000000099 Feeling the Burn? Options for Acid Reflux. National Institutes of Health. November 2018. Additional Reading Gasiorowska, A.; Poh, C.; and Fass, R. "Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)—Is It One Disease or an Overlap of Two Disorders?" Digestive Diseases and Sciences. 2008; 54:1829-34. Lee, S.; Lee, K.; Kim, S. et al. "Prevalence and risk factors for overlaps between gastroesophageal reflux disease, dyspepsia, and irritable bowel syndrome: a population-based study." Digestion. 2009; 79:196-201. Sperber, A. and Dekel, R. "Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Co-morbid Gastrointestinal and Extra-gastrointestinal Functional Syndromes." J Neurogastrointen Mobil. 2010; 16(2):113-119; DOI: 10.5056/jnm.2010.16.2.13. By Barbara Bolen, PhD Barbara Bolen, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and health coach. She has written multiple books focused on living with irritable bowel syndrome. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? 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