Rome III Criteria
IBS is considered a functional disorder in that diagnostic testing does not show any visible disease process. To determine whether a person is just having temporary digestive distress or if he does have IBS, doctors use a standard called the Rome III criteria. According to these criteria, IBS can only be diagnosed if symptoms have been present for at least six months. Symptoms must have been experienced on at least three days of at least three months. Specifically, symptoms must consist of recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort with two or more of the following:
- Pain is relieved by a bowel movement
- Onset of pain is related to a change in frequency of stool
- Onset of pain is related to a change in the appearance of stool
IBS Symptoms
As you can see, your doctor will make a diagnosis of IBS based on the combination of abdominal pain and a marked change in your bowel habits. Thus, for the individual sufferer, IBS can consist of:- abdominal pain or discomfort relieved by a bowel movement
- three or more bowel movements a day (diarrhea)
- three or fewer bowel movements a day (constipation)
- loose, watery stools (diarrhea)
- hard, dry stools (constipation)
- feeling of urgency (diarrhea)
- straining during a bowel movement (constipation)
- feeling of incomplete evacuation
- passage of mucus
- gas and bloating
Sub-types of IBS
- Constipation-predominant
- Diarrhea-predominant
- Alternating or Mixed (symptoms alternate between constipation and diarrhea)
Red-flag Symptoms
The symptoms of IBS can be so severe and disruptive that sufferers frequently worry about misdiagnosis and that their doctor has overlooked a more serious disorder. The following list describes symptoms that are NOT typical of IBS and would warrant further investigation:- fever
- vomiting
- blood in the stool (may be only from hemorrhoids, but MUST be brought to the attention of a qualified physician)
- significant and unexplained weight loss
- anemia
- abdominal pain and cramping not relieved by a bowel movement
- abdominal pain and cramping which awakes the sufferer from sleep
- poor appetite (not caused by a fear of eating trigger foods)
- fatigue
Source:
Longstreth, G., Thompson, W., Chey, W., Houghton, L., Mearin, F. & Spiller, R.
“ Functional Bowel Disorders. Gastroenterology 2006 130:1480-1491.
