Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS is a functional disorder that is related to the dysfunction of the large intestine also known as colon. IBS is not a life threatening disease like cancer or brain tumor, though it can disrupt the normal social life of the person suffering from it. It can cause a great amount of stress to those suffering from it due to its peculiar symptoms. Early identification of the disorder can help to take the necessary steps for alleviating the stressful symptoms. Some information on the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome is being discussed here.
During earlier times, it was not known whether there were any symptoms that could be attributed to irritable bowel syndrome. Therefore, the diagnosis would be a different disease altogether and the treatment would be ineffective. However, with a lot of research and studies on the subject, a group of specialists has established a set of standards to check out if the person has the symptoms of IBS.
ROME I, II and III criteria form the basis for the judging if what the person experiences constitutes symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. The ROME II criteria diagnoses patients on the basis of data collected over a period of twelve weeks in the previous year. The ROME II classifies the abdominal pain suffered by patients into three categories as below:
I) Pain that is relieved by having a bowel movement
II) Pain with change in frequency of the bowel movement
III) Pain with a change in the appearance of the stools
A change in the frequency of the bowel movement would mean a sudden abnormality in the bowel movement. This may be more than three times a day or less than three times a week. A sudden onset of abnormality of the bowel movement can be deemed to be irritable bowel syndrome.
Symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome can be quite contradictory in nature and confusing to a lot of people. Persons suffering from IBS may experience two kinds of symptoms and these are:
- Diarrhea - This symptom constitutes very frequent bowel movements. The stools could be watery and loose and can also have mucus.
- Constipation - Constipation means having difficulty in passing stools. This is due to the stools being hard, lumpy, and difficult to excrete.
The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome make life very uncomfortable for those suffering from the disorder. In some cases, the discomfort and pain may be so severe that the patients may absent themselves from work and avoid socializing. A common symptom of IBS is having gas or bloating in the abdominal area. Often, this gas is released by breaking wind.
A patient need not have all of these symptoms at once. The doctors usually conduct examinations to find out if the symptoms the patients experience are indeed irritable bowel syndrome.
It is important to be aware of the various symptoms that lead to irritable bowel syndrome. An early diagnosis and treatment can help to prevent this disorder from affecting the lifestyle of the individual. Awareness about the symptoms and knowing how to control these symptoms before they get out of hand is very crucial to leading a healthy and stress free life.
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