If you’ve read about the symptoms and think you may have Irritable Bowel Syndrome , it may be time to see your doctor for a diagnosis. He or she may refer you to a gastroenterologist, a digestive track doctor, who can ask more directed questions and perform more tests. These specialists know what they are doing – 28% of the patients they see have IBS.

 

Diagnosing Irritable Bowel Syndrome is more of an art than a science. There is no single test that can confirm or deny its presence. But before it can be effectively diagnosed, make sure that your doctor or gastroenterologist has ruled out all other possible bowel problems.

 

The Irritable Bowel tests that your gastroenterologist decides are necessary to rule out other bowel disorders will depend on your age, health history, family history, specific locations and type of pain, and the presence of constipation and/or diarrhea.

 

It is important to rule out inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis, and other physical, structural, or infectious bowel diseases such as bowel cancer, bowel infection or other bowel disorders. To do this, the following irritable bowel tests may be performed.

 

 

Depending on the location and type of pain, other test may be performed to rule out gallstones, gastroesophageal reflux disease or ulcers. If diarrhea persists, despite treatment and lifestyle changes, tests may be done for celiac disease, a condition that renders the small intestine unable to absorb nutrients.

 

 

Doctors use the Rome II Criteria only to diagnose IBS when there is no structural or biochemical source to be found. For at least 12 weeks in the preceding 12 months (not necessarily consecutive), abdominal discomfort has two out of three of these characteristics:

 

The Rome II Criteria only applies after a careful examination of your medical history, physical abdominal examination, and other tests which may indicate other disorders. But it is the means doctors use to reach an IBS diagnosis.

 

 

If you have an Irritable Bowel Syndrome diagnosis, you may be full of questions, you may be stunned by the news, or you may be relieved to finally have a diagnosis. The good news is that now you can really begin managing your IBS symptoms . Be sure to ask your doctor the following questions:

 

 

Be sure to ask your doctor to recommend a dietitian so that you can start to manage your diet according to your individual needs. Also, go ahead and get the name of a good psychologist. Cognitive Therapy has been shown to reduce symptoms. And a good psychologist can help you make the lifestyle changes you need, for the long-term, to reduce and manage stress.