Tests for Irritable Bowel Syndrome - WebMD

There is no definitive diagnostic laboratory test for IBS. The purpose of laboratory testing is primarily to exclude an alternative diagnosis. MenuNewsReferenceSlideshowsVideosQuestions&AnswersMedicationsFindaGastroenterologistOverviewSymptoms&TypesDiagnosis&TreatmentLiving&ManagingConstipationConstipationTreatmentsDiarrheaDietforIBS-CDietforIBS-DDrugInteractionCheckerIBSMedicationsIrritableBowelSyndromeGuideMenuMedicallyReviewedbyMelindaRatini, DO, MSonJuly20,2021InthisArticleIdentifyYourSymptomsBloodTestforIBSTestsforOtherDiseasesYourstomachhasbeenfeelingcrummyforawhilenow.Thatpainandcrampingcomesandgoes,butevenafterafewmonths,youjustcan'tshakeit.You'veheardofsomethingcalledIBS--orirritablebowelsyndrome.Coulditbewhatyou'vegot?Andhowwillyourdoctorfindout?Therearesometeststhathelpfigureoutwhat'sgoingon,includinganewbloodtest.Butthemostcommonwayyourdoctormakesadiagnosisiswithabitofdetectivework.IdentifyYourSymptomsYourdoctorwillaskforthedetailsofwhat'sbotheringyou.They'llcomparethatwithasetofsymptomsknownastheRomeIVCriteria. Tomeetthestandard,yourbellypainneedstohavebeenaproblemforatleast6months.Andinthelast3months,you'llhavenoticeditatleast1dayperweek. Youalsoneedtohavetwoofthesesymptoms:Yourbellypainisrelatedtoabowelmovement.Whenyouhavepainordiscomfort,yourbowelmovementsareeithermoreorlessfrequentthanusual.Yourstoolshavechangedinappearanceandareharderorsofterthanusualwhenyouhavepainordiscomfort.Yourdoctorwillalsowanttoknowifyoufeelbetterafterabowelmovement.ThisisanothersignofIBS.Itcanbehardtorememberallyoursymptoms.Yourdoctormayaskyoutowritedownwhatyounoticeonacalendarorinanotebook.Yourdoctormayalsoaskyoutochangeyourdiettoseeifthathelps.Somepeoplecan'tdigestlactose,anaturalsugarfoundindairyproducts.Thisiscalledlactoseintolerance.ItcancausemanyofthesamethingsIBSdoes,likebellypain,gas,anddiarrhea.Itmayhelpifyou:Stayawayfromdairy,includingcheese,milk,yogurt,andsourcream,forawhiletoseeifyoufeelbetter.TrysomethingcalledalowFODMAPdietthatcutsdownonhard-to-digestcarbssuchaswheat,beans,andcertainfruitsandvegetablesandlimitsdairy.Eatsmallandmorefrequentmeals.Useprobiotics.IfyouhavethesymptomsofIBSandadifferentdietdoesn’thelp--andyoudon'thaveanyredflagsforanotherdisease,likebloodinyourstool,unexplainedweightloss,orfevertoexplainyoursymptoms--yourdoctormaynotneedtocheckfurther.TheymaybereadytodiagnoseyouwithIBSandstarttreatment.Butifyoursymptomsincludeachangeinbowelhabits,oriftheyonlystartedafteryouturned50,youmayneedteststolookforotherpossiblecauses.Andifyouhaveafamilyhistoryofotherstomachorintestinaldiseases,yourdoctorwillwanttorulethoseout.BloodTestforIBSThereisnodefinitivediagnosticlaboratorytestforIBS.Thepurposeoflaboratorytestingisprimarilytoexcludeanalternativediagnosis.Typically,acompletebloodcountwillbedone. Thiswillcheckforanemia,infection,orsomeotherboweldiseases.TestsforOtherDiseasesYourdoctorhassomeotherwaystoseewhyyou'renotfeelingsogreat.Sometimesotherconditionsaretoblame.Thereareteststhatcanhelpruletheminorout.Forinstance,theymaychecktoseeifyourbodyisn'tabletoabsorbordigestcertainingredients,likedairyorasimplesugarcalledfructose.Onewaytofindoutistoseeifyoursymptomsgetbetterifyoutakethemoutofyourdiet.YoumayalsoneedtogetabloodtesttolookforsignsofCeliacdisease,whichhappenswhenyourbodycan'thandlegluten,aproteinfoundinwheat,barley,andoats.Yourdoctormightorderacolonoscopy,anexamthatlooksforpolypsinyourlargeintestine.Anotheroptionmaybeatestcalledaflexiblesigmoidoscopy.Duringbothprocedures,yourdoctorputsanarrow,flexibletubewithacameraintoyourrectum.Theymove itintoyourbodytoexaminepartorallofthelargeintestine.Duringthecolonoscopy,theymaycollectsmallsectionsoftissuefromthelargeintestineandexaminethemunderamicroscope.Itwon'tshowifyouhaveIBS,butyoumaylearnifyou'vegototherconditionslikecolitisorinflammatoryboweldisease.AnotherwayyourdoctormightwanttolookatyourlargeintestineiswithanX-raycalledalowerGIseries,orbariumenema.Forthistest,theyput aflexibletubeintotherectumandfillsthelargeintestinewithbarium,aliquidthatlightsuponX-rays.Finally,youmaybeaskedtosaveastoolsampletobetestedforblood,infection,orparasites.Yourdoctorwillgiveyouacontainerandinstructionsonwheretosendortakethekitforanalysis.Allthistestingcanseemlikeanuisance,butit'svitalifyouwanttofindoutwhat'scausingyourstomachproblems.Onceyou'vegotadiagnosis,yourdoctorcanstarttherighttreatmentandputyouontheroadtorelief.NextArticleIBSvs.LactoseIntoleranceIrritableBowelSyndrome(IBS)GuideOverviewSymptoms&TypesDiagnosis&TreatmentLiving&ManagingStressandDigestiveProblemsQuiz:AssessYourIBSSymptomsTreatingIBSWithDiarrheaTreatingIBSWithConstipationAvoidingIBDFlares[ss_icon]ConstipationMythsandFactsIBSTriggersPreventionstrategiestotry.AllAboutIBSFromsymptomstotreatments.IBSandDiarrheaCauses,symptoms,andtreatments.StressandIBSAretheyrelated?VideoIBSTriggerFoodsArticleSupplementsforIBS:WhatWorks?QuizCheckIBSSymptomsSlideshow16TipsforBetterDigestionSlideshowTipsforaGluten-FreeDietSlideshow7YearstoDigestGum&OtherMythsVideoWhatCausesDiarrhea?ArticleIBSorLactoseIntolerance?Low-ResidueDietsIBSandDepressionDiarrhea:FoodstoAvoidTreatingIBSandDiarrheaHealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,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