Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Patients often suffer from abdominal pain, which typically improves and brings a sense of relief after a bowel movement. The pain is mostly located in the lower abdomen and is crampy in nature. Many notice that the pain subsides after defecation. The severity of the abdominal pain varies each time—sometimes severe, sometimes mild. This is accompanied by abnormal bowel habits, such as constipation, diarrhea, or an alternation between the two, with one symptom usually being more prominent than the other in each individual. Patients may experience a sense of incomplete evacuation, constipation, or notice mucus mixed in during a bowel movement. The consistency of the stool changes, becoming either hard lumps or watery liquid, and there is often an increased amount of mucus in the stool.

Many people may experience bloating and abdominal fullness. Patients often have flatulence, excessive gas in the stomach, frequent burping, and typically pass gas during bowel movements, all of which are key symptoms of IBS. These symptoms usually persist for more than 3 months within the past year, and most patients have a history of them lasting for several years.

Diagnosis

IBS is diagnosed only after a doctor has ruled out other diseases or cannot find another medical condition to explain the symptoms. The doctor will take a detailed medical history and perform a thorough physical examination, which may include blood tests, stool tests, an X-ray of the colon, or a colonoscopy. In the case of IBS, the results of these physical exams and medical investigations will be within normal limits. For example, a colonoscopy will not reveal any signs of inflammation, ulcers on the intestinal lining, tumors, or cancer.