Abstract： Objective： To conduct a visualization analysis of research literature on traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome （IBS） using CiteSpace software， and to explore the current application status， research hotspots， and development trends of TCM in this field， thereby providing references for clinical treatment. Methods： Research literature on TCM for IBS published between January 1，2004， and November 1，2024， was retrieved from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）， Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform （Wanfang），China Science and Technology Journal Database （VIP），and Web of Science core collection databases. Duplicates were removed using NoteExpress 4.1.0，followed by manual screening. CiteSpace 6.3.R1 software was used to analyze authors，institutions，and keywords to generate visual knowledge maps. Results： A total of 2 131 Chinese articles and 277 English articles were included，with an overall increasing trend in publication volume. The authors with the highest publication output in Chinese and English literature were SHI Zhimin and WU Huangan， respectively. Leading research institutions included Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine， Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine，and Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. Keyword analysis indicated high frequency for terms such as diarrhea-predominant ISB， TCM treatment， and clinical efficacy. Recent emerging keywords with strong citation bursts included gut-brain axis，gut microbiota，inflammatory factors，and moxibustion. Conclusion：Over the past two decades，TCM in the treatment of IBS has garnered significant attention from numerous scholars in the field. The clinical efficacy and mechanism of action of TCM in the treatment of IBS constitute the primary research focuses. Future research trends are expected to emphasize an in-depth exploration of the mechanisms underlying TCM treatment for IBS，with the gut-brain axis，gut microbiota，and inflammatory factors being potential key research directions.