Diagnostic Testing for IBS Symptoms
by Sandra Kim Leong
Your doctor may order a number of different tests to help determine whether you have IBS. These tests are usually ordered if a patient has a number of IBS symptoms that could be related to another condition as well.
A few of these IBS symptoms that can be related to other conditions include blood in the stool, weight loss, fever, diarrhea that wakes you up at night, pain that causes loss of sleep, or an abnormal physical exam. The doctor may order tests to rule out other medical conditions by requesting that the patient keep track of any symptoms that may occur over a specific time period.
Some of the symptoms that the doctor may request you to take note of include:
-feeling of relief upon defecation
-more than 3 bowel movements per day or less than 3 bowel movements per week
-lumpy, hard stools or loose, watery stools
-straining during stool passage or a rushing to have a bowel movement
-presence in the stool of a white mucus
-bloated feeling i.e.abdominal fullness or swelling
If these symptoms seem to fluctuate in severity or frequency due to increased stress levels, then your doctor may have greater cause to suspect that you are really having IBS.
Your doctor may decide to order some diagnostic testing to confirm their diagnosis. Some of these tests may include blood tests, which would give your physician your complete blood count and an erythrocyte sedimentation rate.
After the blood tests have been completed and the results gathered, then you may also have to undergo a stool test. This will allow the doctor to see what you have seen in your stool. Your stool will also be checked for hidden (occult) blood, because this cannot be seen by the patient. These tests results will then be forwarded to the doctor.
After the stool tests, your physician may order a colonoscopy or a sigmoidoscopy. These tests give the medical professional a view of your GI tract to check for any abnormalities. A sigmoidoscopy looks at the rectal area and the sigmoid section of the large intestine, while a colonoscopy gives a complete view of the large bowel.
A barium enema may be necessary as well. This is an x-ray of the bowel, one taken after the bowel has been distended by a barium-containing liquid and air. These tests can help your physician in his/her diagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and they are a vital part of the diagnostic process.
Testing is essential in determining the cause and treatment for your IBS symptoms.Some supplementary tests may be useful as well. These include psychological tests for depression and anxiety to pinpoint the cause to your IBS symptoms. These tests can help the doctor determine the right treatment plan for you.
About the author:
Sandra Kim Leong, a health researcher, writes on ibs symptoms and treatments. For more information, please visit her site at http://www.ibs-treatment-options.com.