Do you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?

First, a warning. There are no known tests or exams that identify patients with the Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). However, typical symptoms, together with negative results from a limited number of tests for other conditions, allow your doctor to make the diagnosis of IBS. Don't expect to be able to make this diagnosis for yourself, without help from your doctor!

Here are a series of questions-and-answers that will give you an idea of the symptoms your doctor will need to know about. They also show you how a diagnosis is reached.

[This tool is based on Fass R, Longstreth GF, Pimentel M, et al. Evidence- and consensus-based practice guidelines for the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome. Arch Intern Med 2001;161:2081-2088]