Long standing problems with diarrhoea or constipation or cramping abdominal discomfort is most likely to be
irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Typically, patients with IBS have had episodic symptoms for many months. The condition is not life threatening but symptoms can be very troublesome. Fortunately, symptoms can be improved by a variety of dietary and medical steps. When diagnosing IBS it is important to exclude other important gut problems such as
inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and
bowel cancer. This can usually be done by simple blood tests and sometimes
colonoscopy where the lower bowel (or colon) is viewed with a flexible telescope.
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