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Sometimes, pinpointing IBS as the cause of a person's symptoms is a process of ruling out other disorders or diseases that could be responsible.
For example, IBS has some symptoms in common with inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitits as well as celiac disease and other disorders.
Since you do want an accurate diagnosis, being patient is especially important at this stage of the process.
Because each person's case is unique, your diagnosis may come sooner or later than someone else's.
Before you go to your next medical appointment, you may want to take the IBS self-assessment quiz and get tips on talking to your doctor.
A strong relationship with your doctor is critical for diagnosing and treating any medical problem, including IBS.
One step at a time
Here are the approaches your doctor may take to reach a diagnosis:
Discussions
Your doctor will ask you to describe your signs and symptoms and review your medical history.
Be honest, and don't assume something is too minor to mention.
Exams
Medical exams can reveal sources of pain or physical changes.
Tests
There is no one medical test that can "find" IBS in your body.
Since IBS is a problem of bowel function, rather than physiology, there usually are no clear-cut physical signs to diagnose it.
Instead, there are a number of tests -- including these below -- that can be performed individually or sequentially to rule out other
potential causes of your symptoms, including infections, colon cancer or other bowel problems such as Chron's disease, colitis or celiac disease.
If your test results do not indicate any other illnesses, you may be diagnosed with IBS.
- Blood tests -- These could include complete blood cell counts, sedimentation rate, thyroid and liver function and other tests.
- Stool sample tests -- Laboratory examination of stool to check for bleeding, infection or signs of inflammation in the digestive system.
- Lactose intolerance tests -- A breath test or blood test that checks how the body breaks down lactose, which is found in dairy products.
Lactose intolerance can cause IBS-like symptoms
- Sigmoidoscopy -- A flexible, lighted camera tube is used to examine the colon and rectum
- Colonoscopy -- A thin, lighted camera tube is used to examine the entire colon and/or take tissue samples for laboratory analysis or biopsy
- CT scan -- A scanner machine rotates X-rays beams around the body to take images, which are assembled into cross-sectional views of the body
- Ultrasound -- High-frequency sound waves are used to create images of the body's organs
- Barium enema -- Barium dye is injected to show the anatomy of the colon while X-rays are taken. Also called a "lower GI" series.
Referrals to other health care professionals
At any stage of your care, your primary doctor may decide to bring other medical personnel into the picture.
Your medical team could include a gastroenterologist -- a doctor who specializes in disorders of the digestive system, including IBS --
as well as nurse practitioners, dietitians and even counselors to help you manage stress.
If medications are prescribed, your pharmacist can be invaluable, too.
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