Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

To diagnose IBS, the following steps are typically involved: 

It is important to note that the absence of findings on scans or endoscopy does not necessarily indicate the need for further tests to find the cause of the problem. 

Depending on age and the presence of alarm symptoms, some patients may require diagnostic testing via blood tests, endoscopies, or scans to exclude the possibility of other medical conditions. Alarm symptoms include loss of appetite, loss of weight, bloody or black stools, progressively worsening symptoms, abnormal physical examination, difficulty swallowing, and a family history of cancer or bowel diseases.