Spotting The Trouble, Before It Becomes A Problem: Knowing Your Irritable Bowel Syndrome Signs and Symptoms
Irritable bowel syndrome can be quite hard to identify if you do not know what to look for. This is mainly because of the fact that irritable bowel syndrome has a lot of different symptoms. The signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome vary from person to person, which means that certain criteria are needed for proper Diagnosis Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
What are the signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome?
This question cannot be answered simply by giving you a generic list. As said before, the signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome vary from person to person and this means that irritable bowel syndrome cannot be generalized into a set of syndromes. Here are the different classifications of irritable bowel syndrome and their symptoms:
1) Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) – This type of irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by these signs and symptoms:
a) Urgency in defecating – People suffering from this type of irritable bowel syndrome often need to hurry when they have to defecate. This irritable bowel syndrome sign and symptom can be very inconvenient especially if a person is working.
b) Wet/loose stool – This means that the stool the person is evacuating from the body has excessive water content. The stool could be very loose or even kind of liquid.
c) Abnormal bowel frequency – A person suffering from IBS-D has to move his or her bowels more than 3 times a day. This can cause a person to be dehydrated so a person experiencing this sign should make sure to drink lots of water.
2) Irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) – These are the irritable bowel syndrome signs and symptoms to look for in this illness:
a) Straining to defecate – A person suffering from this illness often has difficulty moving his or her bowels. It is often the case when the person has to make a huge effort in order to evacuate stool from his or her body. In some cases, there could be pain during bowel movement.
b) Hard/lumpy stool – Having hard, dry or lumpy stool is a common sign and symptom of having irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. This is because the digestive process may not include enough water in the digestion to make the stool softer and easier to evacuate.
c) Abnormal bowel frequency – A person suffering from IBS-C is often unable to defecate more than 3 times a week. An abnormal frequency in defecation could be dangerous as it could cause toxins to build up in the digestive tract.
3) Irritable bowel syndrome alternating (IBS-A) – This is characterized by alternating signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. This can be very hard on the person as he or she needs to constantly adjust his or her diet in order to accommodate the symptoms.
There are common signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome:
Abdominal pain – People with irritable bowel syndrome often experience mild to severe pain in their abdominal area. This is a symptom triggered by eating various types of foods or even stress. It is often the case that this irritable bowel syndrome sign and symptom would be relieved as soon as a person defecates.
Sudden change in bowel frequency – This irritable bowel syndrome symptom could either be an increase in the frequency of defecation or it could mean a decrease in bowel frequency.
Remember, to always consult with a doctor with these types of signs and symptoms. However, knowing is the first step towards getting a handle on your IBS.
