There isn’t a clear medical test for IBS, and so it can take a while to get a diagnosis from a doctor. If you suspect you might have IBS it’s important you visit a doctor so they can confirm this.
There are lots of more serious conditions, such as colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease or coeliac disease that have similar symptoms to IBS, so you don’t want to miss your doctor ruling these out first. IBS is sometimes called a diagnosis of exclusion, because we have to rule out other conditions before it’s confirmed you’ve got irritable bowel syndrome.
Typical tests your doctor might run depend on your symptoms, they could include:
Blood test – looking for inflammation markers such as CRP, or ESR
Stool test – looking for a bacterial or parasite infection, or traces of blood in the stool which could indicate a more serious condition
Endoscopy – looking at the health of your upper digestive system with a small camera
Colonoscopy – looking at the health of your colon with a small camera
Feeling your stomach – physical examination can check for lumps, adhesions and your pain
Scans – CT or MRI scans to look inside your body and check for adhesions, tumours or blockages.
Once you have an IBS diagnosis, there is no automatic treatment path as with some medical diagnoses, but there is lots of help in terms of diet and lifestyle, as well as some medication to ease symptoms.