
	IBS Info
	Information on IBS
	IBS cause
	Clinical Trial 1
	Clinical Trial 2
	Symptoms
	IBS syndrome
	IBS Diet
	What Is IBS
	Stress
	Medication
	Treatment
	Symptoms
	Foods that trigger
	Cure
	Diarrhoea Predominant IBS
	Causes
	Constipation
	Diverticulosis
	Do I have IBS?
	How long does it last?
	Hydrocodone
	Menstruation
	Pregnancy
	Children
	Recipes
	Mylanta
	Natural Cure
	More...

IBS Symptoms

IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a common disorder found in around 20% of the population. In people with IBS, it would appear that the body’s ability to effectively process bowel movements is somehow impaired due to the way that the intestines interact with the brain and the nervous system. However, no one completely understands IBS or knows exactly why some people develop IBS and some don’t. IBS is also sometimes referred to as spastic colon, mucous colitis, nervous diarrhoea and functional bowel, amongst others.

Diagnosis is made when there are a number of symptoms present and which cannot be attributed to another identifiable cause. The full extent of IBS in the population is not known because it is believed that many sufferers never seek medical help for their symptoms. So what are these symptoms?

Common Symptoms of IBS

Abdominal pain and discomfort - this can occur in different parts of the abdomen but often in the lower abdomen. The pain is not always present but comes and goes at different times and can vary from mild to severe. Relief is often obtained after a bowel movement or when passing wind.

Bloating and flatulence – the stomach can feel swollen and tender and some people complain of excessive wind which can be painful as well as embarrassing

Constipation – IBS can be said to be constipation predominant when constipation is the main symptom. This means that bowel movements are infrequent and the stools can be bulky, hard and dry or small and pellet-like

Diarrhoea – Diarrhoea predominant IBS is characterised by frequent stools which are often runny and may be accompanied by mucous

Some people complain of a combination of conflicting symptoms and may alternate between bouts of diarrhoea and bouts of constipation

Many IBS sufferers have a feeling of incomplete evacuation after a bowel movement as though their bowels haven’t quite emptied

The “morning rush” is a common complaint where the urge to have a bowel movement is extremely strong first thing in the morning and may involve several evacuations in fairly quick succession

Occasionally, a person with IBS will complain of nausea, headaches, dizziness, diminished appetite, aches and pains, heartburn and a urge to urinate more frequently

The main point is that people experience IBS in different ways and not every symptom will affect everyone with IBS in the same way. In this respect IBS is a disorder that is unique to the person suffering with it. Consequently, there is no single way of obtaining relief for IBS and treatment generally consists of dealing with the individual symptoms and learning ways to cope with IBS on a daily basis

Diagnosing IBS

The official diagnostic criterion is a follows:

For at least 12 weeks within the past year, not necessarily consecutively, abdominal pain or discomfort is accompanied by at least two of the following:

The pain is relieved after a bowel movement and/or
The onset is associated with a change in the frequency of bowel movements and/or
The onset is associated with a change in the appearance or form of the stools

Other symptoms which support a diagnosis of IBS are as follows:

The frequency of bowel movements is abnormal i.e. more than 3 a day or less than 3 a week
The form of the stools is abnormal i.e. hard and lumpy or watery and loose
The passage of the stools is abnormal i.e. excessive straining, feelings of urgency or feelings of incomplete evacuation
Mucous in the bowel movements
Bloating