Top 5 Medical Tests For Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable bowel syndrome is a common medical term that is often used to describe a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by chronic intestinal symptoms not explained by structural or biochemical abnormalities. Some IBS patients suffer from constipation, and others from diarrhea and some may experience both. The diagnosis of IBS is based on diagnosis of exclusion because it shares the symptoms of so many other intestinal illnesses. Due to this, IBS sufferers often have to undergo different medical tests. In case of IBS intestines do not show any visual signs of problems, like bleeding or inflammation. So, most probably the results will come negative for many IBS sufferers.
1. Barium Enema- Barium enema is also called as lower gastrointestinal (GI) series. In this procedure barium mixture is inserted through an enema and then x-rays are taken of the large intestine which includes the colon and rectum, to diagnose the problems like abnormal growths, ulcers, polyps, diverticulli and colon cancer. It also helps the radiologist in observing the shape and size of the colon and rectum. You may feel slight uncomfortable during the barium enema as it causes fullness and pressure in your abdomen and will make you feel the urge to have a bowel movement. It takes about two hours to complete.
2. Colonoscopy- A small camera called as colonoscope is inserted into your anus to check signs of inflammation and other problems in the large intestine. This procedure helps the doctor to see the inside of your colon on a big television screen. The colonoscopy helps to identify the problems related to inflamed tissue, abnormal growths, ulcers, and bleeding. Through colonoscopy the doctors can check the physical condition of the entire large intestine, from the lowest part, the rectum, all the way up through the colon to the lower end of the small intestine. This method is most commonly employed on the probable IBS sufferers.
3. Endoscopy- A thin tube with a camera is inserted into the bowel to check the health of the stomach, esophagus and the small intestine. Upper endoscopy is performed to identify and treat conditions like upper digestive system bleeding, inflammation, ulcers and tumors. It gives more accurate result than x-rays. Some abnormalities can also be treated through endoscope such as bleeding due to cancer and ulcers, some objects stuck in the esophagus, Polyps can also be removed, etc. In this procedure the doctor will insert the endoscope into your mouth, through your food pipe and into your stomach. It takes around 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Flexible siqmoidoscopy- Flexible sigmoidoscopy allows the physician to look at the inside of the large intestine from the rectum to check the health of the sigmoid or descending colon. Doctors may use the procedure to find the cause of diarrhea, abdominal pain, or constipation. They also apply it to look for early signs of cancer in the descending colon and rectum. Though, with flexible sigmoidoscopy, the physician can notice bleeding, inflammation, abnormal growths, and ulcers in the descending colon and rectum but this procedure is not sufficient to detect polyps or cancer in the ascending or transverse colon. This procedure takes 10 to 20 min. to complete.
5. Sitz marker test- this test is used for patients with chronic constipation, for example less than two bowel movements per week. It uses tiny 'markers' to test how fast the food is moving through the intestines. A small capsule that contains markers has to be swallowed which will show up on x-rays and let the doctors track their progress through your intestine.
Knowing these things in advance helps you seek treatment when you recognize that you have the disorder.
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