How to Identify Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most commonly diagnosed gastrointestinal problem. It is a condition where the colon or large intestine becomes overly sensitive to certain causative agents, which temporaraily impair its function. Factors that may trigger IBS include intolerance to particular types of food, invasion of microorganims such as salmonella, medicinal response and reactions to stress or anxiety. The effects of IBS on the colon are not damaging--IBS does not cause inflammation or any drastic changes on its tissues unlike other intestinal diseases such as ulcerative colitis. Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome can create a great deal of discomfort but can easily be improved with proper diet, prescribed medications, stress management and lifestyle changes.

Instructions

• 1

  Notice how often you experience abdominal pain. Cramping of the abdomen, which is usually localized on the lower left side, is a typical symptom of IBS. The pain can be sharp or dull and its intensity or severity may differ in every individual. Oftentimes eating solid foods will add to the pain as well as some other factors, such as menstruation and emotional strain. Discomfort brought about by abdominal pain is usually relieved with gas release and bowel movements.

• 2

  Observe if you ever have diarrhea. Having loose stools or diarrhea is another sign of IBS. The size of the stool is usually different than normal--it can be thin as pencils or loose and watery. Episodes of diarrhea often occur in the morning, especially after meals.

• 3

  Take note if you ever feel constipated. Constipation involved with IBS can last from days to months. IBS changes the consistency of the stool, making it harder than what it used to be. The diameter or size of the stool also changes because your stool is now made of pieces of small hard stools instead of a normal compact one.

• 4

  Monitor your bowel habits. A change in bowel habits commonly occurs in IBS. With IBS, defecation can take place more often than usual, in which you will have three or more bowel movements in a day. It can also occur less than normal where may only have three bowel movements in a week. You may feel an unusual urgency to defecate and when you do, you always have this uncomfortable strain and feeling of not being able to evacuate completely. Changes in bowel movements can solely be manifested by diarrhea (diarrhea-predominant IBS), sometimes only with constipation (constipation-dominant IBS), and in some cases a combination of both--where there will be an alternating episodes of diarrhea and constipation.

• 5

  Note the existence of other symptoms. In many cases of IBS, other symptoms such as bloating, gas, heartburn, an unusual feeling of being full and constant belching is present along with other major symptoms. You may also have headache and nausea, and you may have dry mouth or difficulty in swallowing. And as a result of dealing with so much discomfort, fatigue and stress may set in.