Symptoms
Irritable Bowel Syndrome: the symptoms
"I've suffered from abdominal pains for years now. I was always a happy sort of person. But slowly the pains are wearing me down."
Although the exact cause of IBS is not yet known, medical experts have defined a list of key symptoms for the syndrome. A person is diagnosed as having IBS if he or she:
- has in the past year, suffered at least for 3 months from abdominal pain or discomfort, accompanied by changes of normal bowel movement;
- has been tested for known diseases, allergies or intolerances that would explain the symptoms but no improvement has been achieved.
People who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome often experience negative effects on their general mood as a result of the pain and discomfort of the primary symptoms. Diarrhoea, constipation, flatulence and bloating naturally affect the sufferer's sense of wellbeing and social confidence. This may also lead to tension headaches, fatigue and other physical and psychological problems.
Criteria for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Only a qualified medical professional can provide a firm diagnosis. The questionnaire below presents the main criteria for diagnosing IBS. The more questions you answer with "yes", the greater the possibility that your health professional will diagnose you as an IBS sufferer.
- Do you have cramps, cramp-like in the abdomen, bloating, abdominal swelling or muscous in your bowel movements?
- Have you noticed changes in the frequency of your bowel movements and/or the consistency of your stools (even possibly alternating between diarrhoea and constipation)?
- Do the symptoms improve after a bowel movement?
- Have you been experiencing these symptoms for at least three months?
- Do you see a connection between the symptoms and stress situations and/or psychological strain?
- Have other stomach and/or digestive disorders been tested for as the possible cause, but without result?
If you have answered one or more of these questions with yes, please see a doctor, as you may be suffering from "IBS".
