If you’ve read about the symptoms and think you may haveIrritable Bowel Syndrome , it may be time to see your doctor for a diagnosis. He or she may refer you to agastroenterologist, 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.
Testing
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.
- Complete blood count – this provides information about the type and quantity of both red and white blood cells, as well as platelets (cells which contribute to blood clotting).
- Sedimentation rate – this is a blood test that will alert doctors to any inflammation in the body.
- Stool analysis – by taking a sample of your stool, doctors can test to see if blood, parasites, or infection is present.
- Urinalysis – a common diagnostic test that can reveal other sources of abdominal pain.
- Rectal exam – this may be used to rule out the presence of tumors, appendicitis, and to examine the hardness and color of feces.
- Liver function test – this will inform doctors of the state of your liver to rule out liver diseases.
- Abdominal X-ray – by taking pictures of structures and organs in your abdomen, doctors can examine your diaphragm, stomach, liver, spleen, and large and small intestines.
- Colonoscopy/Sigmoidoscopy – this allows doctors to examine the lining of the large intestine, and can detect inflammation, bleeding, or tumors.
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.
Rome II Criteria
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:
- is relieved with defecation, and/or
- its onset is associated with a change in frequency of your stool, and/or
- its onset is associated with a change in the appearance of your stool.
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.
Questions to ask your doctor about your 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:
- If I don’t have IBS, is there any preventative action I can take?
- Is there anything else I could have that has symptoms similar to IBS?
- What is IBS?
- How do diet and stress exacerbate my IBS?
- How can I change my diet to ease IBS symptoms ?
- How I lover my stress level to ease IBS symptoms ?
- How can I bring my IBS symptoms under control?
- Does IBS put me at risk for any other illnesses or diseases?
- What can I do to educate myself about this syndrome?
- Are there any sources of IBS support, like associations, groups, websites, or books?
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.