Knowra Irritable bowel syndrome Irritable bowel syndrome Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic disorder of gut–brain interaction marked by recurrent abdominal pain and altered bowel habits without identifiable structural disease.
Visceral hypersensitivity : Heightened sensitivity to sensations arising from internal organs, including pain from ordinary gut distension. It helps explain why normal intestinal activity can cause substantial pain in IBS.
Rome IV criteria : Symptom-based diagnostic criteria for disorders of gut–brain interaction, including irritable bowel syndrome. They define IBS through recurrent abdominal pain associated with defecation or altered stool frequency or form.
Differential diagnosis : The process of distinguishing a condition from other disorders that can produce similar symptoms. IBS symptoms overlap with conditions that require different investigation or treatment.
Functional gastrointestinal disorder : A digestive disorder defined by characteristic symptoms and altered function rather than an explanatory structural abnormality. This older umbrella term included IBS before disorders of gut–brain interaction became standard terminology.
Quality of life : A person’s overall assessment of well-being across physical, psychological, and social aspects of life. Pain, urgency, and unpredictable bowel habits can substantially restrict everyday activities.
Gut motility : The contractions and coordinated movements that mix and propel contents through the digestive tract. Differences in intestinal transit can contribute to constipation, diarrhea, or fluctuating bowel habits.
Disorder of gut–brain interaction : A digestive disorder involving altered communication and function between the gut and brain, without necessarily showing structural abnormalities. This category places IBS among disorders diagnosed primarily through symptoms and clinical criteria.
Celiac disease : An autoimmune disorder in which gluten exposure damages the small intestine in genetically susceptible people. It can resemble IBS, so testing may be appropriate, especially with diarrhea-predominant symptoms.
Lactose intolerance : Digestive symptoms caused by inadequate digestion of lactose, the sugar in milk and some dairy products. Its food-linked symptoms can resemble IBS, but they arise from lactose malabsorption.
Visceral pain : Pain arising from internal organs, often experienced as diffuse or difficult to localize. It describes the kind of pain commonly reported in IBS.
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