Do I Have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?
Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, is a frustrating diagnosis. Often times, IBS is diagnosed after a long process of testing and eliminating many other GI disorders (i.e. Celiac Disease, Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Short Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), or Diverticulitis). IBS can also share some symptom similarities with Endometriosis, a chronic condition in women where the tissue of the uterus is found elsewhere in the body, causing: diarrhea, constipation, painful stool elimination, and chronic pelvic pain. So, how do I know if I have IBS?
What is IBS?
IBS is a gastrointestinal disorder that affects the intestines. A change in bowel motility can affect the consistency of the stool. For example, if movement of digested food is slower than normal, the result is constipation. On the other hand, faster motility of food through the intestine will cause diarrhea.
IBS causes a heightened sensitivity in the nerves of the intestine and alter communication messages between the gut and the brain, and vice versa. This means that slight changes in digestion can cause exaggerated symptoms, resulting in:
- Abdominal pain
- Cramping
- Gas/bloating
- Nausea
- Heartburn
What causes IBS?
The jury is out on what exactly causes IBS. We know that it is likely due to altered gut bacteria (i.e. not enough good gut bacteria and/or lack of good bacteria diversity). Some theories as to what may have caused this microbial disturbance, are previous bouts of serious food poisoning or Traveler’s Diarrhea, gut infections, or taking antibiotics for extended periods of time.
Do I have IBS?
Although the onset of IBS can happen at any age, you are most likely to get IBS as a teenager or young adult. IBS can be found in both genders, by typically greater affects women. You are also more likely to have IBS if a parent or sibling has IBS.
The diagnostic criteria for IBS, also known as the Rome IV Criteria, suggest that you might have IBS if:
- You have experienced recurring abdominal pain at least 1 day/week in the last three months, associated with > two of the below criteria:
Symptoms are improved:
- Following a bowel movement
- After a change in the appearance of stools or number of bowel movements, and
- Symptoms started at least 6 months ago
If you checked off at least 2 of the 3 diagnostic criteria above, it is worth discussing with your family doctor or dietitian for next steps.
IBS can be debilitating, embarrassing, and reduce your quality of life, just to name a few. Hopefully some of the suggestions in the upcoming posts will help guide you to discover your personal food and environmental triggers, and empower you to take control of your IBS and restore your quality of life. It IS possible, and I am here to help you.
References:
- Understanding Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)- Canadian Digestive Health Foundation
- https://badgut.org/information-centre/a-z-digestive-topics/rome-iv/
