Up to 15% of Americans struggle with the troublesome effects of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). At Bay Area Gastroenterology Associates, LLC, leading board-certified gastroenterology professionals understand IBS and all the conditions it’s often confused with, like Crohn’s disease and celiac disease. Your dedicated specialist assesses your symptoms, diagnoses your condition, and puts you on the right treatment path. Contact the Trinity, Florida, office today by phone or schedule your first appointment online.
IBS is a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder. It causes disruptive symptoms in the stomach and intestines, including abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation.
IBS affects up to 15% of Americans, and up to 40% of visits to GI doctors stem from IBS symptoms.
IBS can cause:
IBS can feature chronic diarrhea (IBS-D), constipation (IBS-C), or a mix of the two (IBS-M). This usually means significant bowel habit changes that can disrupt your daily life.
Abdominal pain is often the main feature of IBS. It can include cramping, squeezing, or stabbing pain in your belly area. The pain temporarily improves after a bowel movement.
Celiac disease and other conditions like Crohn’s disease are often confused with IBS because the symptoms are similar. Some symptom differences include:
Celiac disease is an autoimmune illness caused by the inability to digest gluten. It causes the immune system to damage the lining of the small intestine, which causes nutrient absorption problems.
People with celiac disease don’t absorb adequate iron from their diet, so this can lead to iron deficiency anemia. Celiac disease can cause fatigue, joint pain, rectal bleeding, and other problems that IBS doesn’t.
Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and autoimmune disease. It’s thought to happen when the immune system attacks specific foods or bacteria inside the digestive tract. This causes chronic inflammation.
Crohn’s disease can cause the same symptoms as IBS, along with problems like fatigue, joint pain, rectal bleeding, eye inflammation, and intestinal scarring.
Differences can be challenging to determine, so if you’re having any of these problems, it’s time to see a board-certified gastroenterologist for a diagnosis.
IBS diagnosis often involves detailed symptom evaluation and ruling out other conditions. You might need lab tests or diagnostic procedures like endoscopy (colonoscopy or upper endoscopy).
With endoscopy, your medical provider views the inside of your gastrointestinal tract to check for damage. With IBS, there are no physical changes, while conditions like Crohn’s disease and celiac disease cause visible changes.
If you’re diagnosed with IBS, your provider can help you minimize symptoms with a combination of lifestyle, diet, and medication.
Bay Area Gastroenterology Associates, LLC, supports you in overcoming IBS symptoms. Call the office now or arrange your appointment online.