Diagnosing Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Diagnosing irritable bowel syndrome is often challenging for medical professionals. This is mostly due to the fact that the symptoms of this condition often reflect the symptoms associated with more serious issues that are known to affect the gastrointestinal tract.

Diagnosing IBS is a type of procedure that actually involves ruling out other conditions until it is confirmed that the intestines are simply hypersensitivity to the process of taking food from the stomach and eliminating it from the body.

The diagnosis alone may be based on the basic symptoms that the patient is experiencing, but the doctor must confirm that those symptoms are not being experienced due to a more serious complication. 

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Tests 

There are some diagnostic tests that may be used in order to confirm a diagnosis of IBS. A doctor will make a determination if tests need to be done by evaluating certain factors of the patient being observed. First, the age is taken into consideration.

Immediately following the consideration of age, the symptoms that the patient is experiencing will be considered. Mostly, the doctor is looking at the severity of the symptoms, when the symptoms occur, and exactly how those symptoms affect an individual's overall quality of life.

A detailed medical history interview is usually conducted and this is often followed by a thorough physical examination. If the doctor suspects that irritable bowel syndrome may be the culprit for the discomfort that a patient is experiencing, they will initiate testing procedures. 

Blood Tests 

One of the most common tests associated with the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome is a blood test that is referred to as a "Complete Blood Count" or a "CBC". This test provides in-depth information about the different types of cells that are part of the blood, as well as the number of cells contained in the blood.

The focus is primarily on platelets, red blood cells, and also the white blood cells. This test provides information to a doctor that helps the professional determine if there is an infection within the body, a deficiency, or inflammation. 

Stool Test 

For many that exhibit the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, a stool test may be performed. This is a test that typically requires several different samples. This assists the doctor in determining if there are complications that may be being experienced within the digestive tract.

There are many different infections of the gastrointestinal tract that must be ruled out before IBS can be diagnosed. Infections may include those that are caused by potentially harmful parasites, contagious viruses, and even different forms of bacteria. Many doctors are able to tell if nutrients are not being absorbed properly by a stool test.

In some instances, cancer of the gastrointestinal tract may be identified by the stool analysis. These are the most common tests performed in diagnosing irritable bowel syndrome. If a doctor continues to suspect IBS after the completion of these tests, other tests such as a sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, and other types of exploratory surgeries may be performed.