Abdominal pain the prime symptom of IBS

The prime symptom of IDS is abdominal pain, so this is the first and the most important symptom to consider. In fact, without being, it is actually not possible to make a firm diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome. Many experiments being carried out on IBS sufferers and it has been found that in IBS patients there is something called visceral hypersensitivity, which simply means that the gut is more sensitive to pain in irritable bowel syndrome patients. Despite their sensitivity, the gut still appears to be quite healthy.

It has been suggested that because the gut appears healthy, that the cause of the pain is not in the gut at all but in the brain. Perhaps in IBS, the stresses and strains of modern life can lead to increased sensitivity in the brain itself, which may lead to pain signals in IBS patients. Another explanation may be that there are simply more signals coming from the gut to the brain. These theories have yet to be confirmed by research. IBS patients can find it very frustrating when the doctor can’t seem to determine the source of the abdominal pain, as a painful abdominal region is difficult to identify. For a doctor to correctly identify the cause of the pain it is important to know not just where the pain comes from but also when it comes, and also whether it follows certain activities such as eating meals or physical exertion. It is also crucial to discover any factors that may make the pain better or worse, such as deep breathing, or a change in posture. In IBS sufferers the whole gut is a potential source of pain and more than one site can be involved in any individual patient. It is therefore more important when diagnosing IBS to consider the nature of the pain itself rather than where the pain is coming from.

A good doctor will of course ask all these questions when trying to identify the patients problem. Prior to visiting your doctor it makes sense to think about the nature of your pain so you can provide accurate answers, questions your doctor may ask include:-

• Where is the pain felt?
• Where does the pain spread to?
• When does the pain come on?
• What makes the pain better, can you do anything to relieve the pain?
• Does anything make the pain worse?

IBS pain normally occurs across the belly and below the navel, but as discussed can arise anywhere in the abdominal area. It is often associated with bloating and can often occur when you start eating. In women, it is common for this abdominal pain to be worse in the days leading up to the periods. Characteristically this pain is relieved to some degree by passing wind or a stool.

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• Acute and Chronic Right Upper Abdominal Pain – Diagnosis (healthhype.com)
• Causes of the Upper Middle Abdominal (Stomach) Pain (healthhype.com)
• Ouch, my stomach hurts (blisstree.com)