Diagnosing IBS: The Most Common Symptoms

What is IBS?

IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a type of functional gastrointestinal disorder. It affects 10 to 20 percent of people. It is a chronic or long-term condition affecting the small or large bowels. IBS can cause pain and discomfort and distorted bowel habits. A substantial amount of patients visit physicians for gastrointestinal complaints. Some patients have extensive anxiety regarding factors that causes IBS. Physicians use a confidential diagnosis as an initial and crucial step to provide patients a clear explanation, an effective treatment and therefore reducing the patients’ anxiety. IBS must always be diagnosed by a physician. Patients with IBS are usually diagnosed after exhibiting structural or biochemical abnormalities. Physicians consider the differential possibilities from the signs and symptoms observed and given by the patient in order to obtain a positive or negative diagnosis for IBS.

The foundation of the diagnosis is a detailed history and a complete physical examination of the patient. Laboratory examination of blood and stools and endoscopic procedures are often times used to rule out disease. This procedure is essential because the main concern of patients and doctors is to rule out possibilities like inflammatory bowel disease or colon cancer. The fact that patients under the age of 40 are easily diagnosed with IBS are significant in identifying symptoms which are usually discovered during history taking and observance of abnormal signs during physical examination of the patient.

The key factor in diagnosing IBS is making the patient describe the symptoms that he or she is experiencing. The symptom criteria for the diagnosis of IBS have been developing since 1978 when a researcher named Adrian Manning and his colleagues proved the usefulness of positive symptoms or Manning criteria to identify patients with IBS from patients with organic diseases. A physician who suspects IBS uses the Manning criteria which are used by many physicians all over the world since 1978 dating back to when the Manning criteria was published.

The Manning criteria is composed of 6 symptoms; first is visible abdominal distention; second is relief of pain with or after bowel movement, third is more frequent bowel movement with the onset of pain, fourth is loose stools at onset of pain, fifth is passage of mucus via the rectum, and the sixth is feeling of incomplete evacuation. If a patient experiences the first four symptoms, he or she is likely to suffer from IBS. The last two symptoms are often experienced by IBS patients, though they are not as typical for IBS as the first four.

Then in 1988 gastroenterologists in Rome held an international consensus meeting, they further specified the criteria for IBS. In 1999 these criteria were revised and now called Rome II criteria. At present, they form the standard diagnosis of IBS. In the Rome II criteria, the symptoms that cumulatively support the diagnosis of IBS are as follows; first is abnormal stool frequency. Second is abnormal stool form, wherein stool may be lumpy or watery, and a diagnostic aid called Bristol stool form scale or the BSF-Scale is used to classify the stool form into seven groups because the stool’s form depends on the time it spent in the colon. A correlation between the colonic transit time and the BSF type is obtained. Third is the abnormal stool passage, maybe straining, and urgency or there is a feeling of incomplete evacuation. Fourth is the passage of mucus, and fifth is bloating or feeling of abdominal distension.

If you suspect you are suffering with IBS, you should first consult your primary care physician before taking other steps.

Susan Reynolds has an interest in Health related subjects To find out how you can get more information and sign up for a Free Newsletter dedicated to treating IBS please visit Natural Irritable Bowel Syndrome Relief.