Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Symptoms, Causes and Diagnostic Tests

Irritable bowel syndrome is commonly known as IBS. It is a general health condition that directly impacts the digestive system. This gastrointestinal disorder is popularly known as colitis. Irritable bowel syndrome causes severe stomach cramps and pain, diarrhoea, constipation, excessive gas formation, bloating, and discomfort in the stomach. Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome may come and go or can last for weeks or months until they are taken care of using the right treatment. 

People with irritable bowel syndrome have it for their entire life. It is usually an ongoing problem that some changes in your diet or lifestyle can trigger. IBS affects a sufferer's everyday life. It causes them to change their lifestyle, like increasing water consumption or adding workouts to their daily routine. 

There is no cure for irritable bowel syndrome. The only way to fight it is to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Changing your diet with your doctor's advice can help you combat the disorder. Such changes in the overall lifestyle, diet, and medicines can control and alleviate the symptoms. 

Although the exact reason for irritable bowel syndrome is unknown, it is usually related to food passing through your system too slowly or quickly, hypersensitive nerves in your digestive system, excessive stress, and family medical history.

What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome? 

Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder. It affects the large intestine or colon. It is distinguished by a collection of symptoms. These include abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, and changes in bowel movements. At the same time, some people experience severe pain and cramps, and some experience mild discomfort. Nevertheless, an irritable bowel system can impact your day-to-day life in terms of quality and way of living. As a persistent problem, it frustrates the sufferer. It makes them conscious about their diet and overall lifestyle. 

Irritable bowel syndrome has nothing to do with the structural abnormality or malformation of the large intestines or other parts of the digestive system. IBS is mainly a functional disorder. This means the symptoms are not visible. The symptoms are believed to be initiated by a group of factors, like fluctuations in the gut microbiome, heightened sensitivity to certain stimuli like specific foods, stress, hormonal changes, and irregular contractions in the intestine. 

What Causes Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

There is no definitive cause of irritable bowel syndrome, but it is believed that a combination of factors triggers the symptoms of IBS. Some of the factors that might help develop the symptoms of IBS are- 

Faults in the Motion of the Gut:

There are two types of intestinal muscle contractions in people with IBS. Some contractions are more powerful and long-lasting. This leads to diarrhoea. The other types of contractions in the colon are weak and short-lived. This causes constipation.  

Changing Microbiome in the Gut:

The gut microbiome is a collection of microorganisms in your intestines. The gut microbiome can be changed or different in the case of a person with irritable bowel syndrome. Two types of microbiomes are found in the gut—symbiotic and pathogenic. Symbiotic microbiomes benefit the human body, and pathogenic microbiomes are potentially harmful. The presence of certain types of microbiomes leads to a change in the function of the gut and an increase in the sensitivity to certain foods.

Sensitivity to Foods:

People with irritable bowel syndrome are usually sensitive to certain foods like dairy products, wheat, or FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, types of carbohydrates found in certain foods).

Stress:

Irritable bowel syndrome has a close connection with the brain. Stress could be one of the many psychological factors leading to the increased severity of irritable bowel syndrome. Psychological factors like anxiety, depression, etc., can trigger or worsen the symptoms of IBS.

Genetics:

If someone has a family history of IBS, it is very common that they will pass it on to the next generations. Although the specific genes involved are unknown, doctors and researchers speculate a high probability of the same. 

Different people have different underlying reasons for IBS. These get triggered or impacted by certain factors or stimuli. So, you must consult your healthcare provider for the best diagnosis and treatment. 

Diagnosis and Tests to Determine Irritable Bowel Syndrome 

The doctor you are consulting will ask for your medical and family history, followed by routine tests and physical examinations. The blood tests prescribed for determining the complexity and severity of IBS are to rule out other health conditions, dysfunctions, or disorders like coeliac disease or inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD. 

After your healthcare providers rule out the other conditions, your blood samples will be taken for examination. Some of the blood tests are- 

1. CRP Test: A CRP test or a C-reactive protein test is a blood test to measure the levels of C-reactive protein, a protein that your liver makes in your blood sample. A high level of CRP means your body is infected by something that causes high inflammation. 

2. LFT: An LFT or Liver Function Test is done in certain cases of IBS to rule out the suspicion of any liver-related health conditions, which sometimes show similar symptoms as IBS.

3. Serology testing: Serology testing is a blood test to determine the presence and level of certain antibodies in the blood. This test is done to rule out the probability of coeliac disease. 

Conclusion

Irritable bowel syndrome is a common disorder. It affects your large intestine or colon.

There are some blood tests like CRP-level tests, LFT, and serology testing that can rule out other factors. You can only delay the appearance of the symptoms or alleviate their effects by modifying your lifestyle and eating habits.

If you are diagnosed with IBS, it will be with you for your entire life. Luckily, irritable bowel syndrome does not affect your lifespan. It may cause certain changes in how you live, your overall lifestyle, etc. You don't need any surgery to get rid of IBS. You can live a healthy life by modifying your lifestyle, like avoiding the stimuli like certain food, stress, and medications that are known to trigger or deteriorate the condition. 

If you are looking for a reliable pathologist, you can consider Metropolis Healthcare which offers prompt and accurate lab reports. Their labs are powered by a team of 200 certified senior pathologists and more than 2000 efficient technicians. Book your LFT, Serology and CRP tests with Metropolis today!