Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Key points

• NICE published clinical guidelines on the diagnosis and management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in 2008 The diagnosis of IBS should be considered if the patient has had the following for at least 6 months:
• abdominal pain, and/or
• bloating, and/or
• change in bowel habit A positive diagnosis of IBS should be made if the patient has abdominal pain relieved by defecation or associated with altered bowel frequency stool form, in addition to 2 of the following 4 symptoms:
• altered stool passage (straining, urgency, incomplete evacuation)