IBS Diagnosis and Symptoms
According to the Rome II committees and the Functional Brain Gut Research Group, IBS can be diagnosed based on at least 12 weeks (not consecutive) in which a person had two out of three of these features over a period of a year:
- Relieved with defecation; and/or
- Onset associated with a change in frequency of stool; and/or
- Onset associated with a change in form (appearance) of stool.
Symptoms that cumulatively support the diagnosis of IBS:
- Abnormal stool frequency (for research purposes, “abnormal” may be defined as greater than 3 bowel movements per day and less than 3 bowel movements per week);
- Abnormal stool form (lumpy/hard or loose/watery stool);
- Abnormal stool passage (straining, urgency, or feeling of incomplete evacuation);
- Bloating or feeling of abdominal distention.
Supportive symptoms of IBS:
- A) Fewer than three bowel movements a week
- B) More than three bowel movements a day
- C) Hard or lumpy stools
- D) Loose (mushy) or watery stools
- E) Straining during a bowel movement
- F) Urgency (having to rush to have a bowel movement)
- G) Feeling of incomplete bowel movement
- H) Passing mucus (white material) during a bowel movement
- I) Abdominal fullness, bloating, or swelling
Determining whether you are diarrhea predominant, constipation predominant or a little of both helps in managing your symptoms.
Diarrhea-predominant: At least 1 of B, D, F and none of A, C, E; or at least 2 of B, D, F and one of A or E.
Constipation-predominant: At least 1 of A, C, E and none of B, D, F; or at least 2 of A, C, E and one of B, D, F.
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