I recently heard about a recent discussion that happened on a local talk radio station. It discussed two conditions that are often undiagnosed and untreated. These conditions are irritable bowel syndrome and stiff heart syndrome. While I didn’t get the chance to listen to this episode, I have discovered some interesting information about one of these diseases as to why it is underdiagnosed and untreated. Let’s learn why irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition where two out of three sufferers are women, is underdiagnosed and untreated.
IBS Symptoms get Confused with other Illnesses
Some IBS symptoms are often confused with other conditions. This makes the condition very tricky for doctors to diagnose. Some digestive conditions that could be confused with IBS include ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and lactose intolerance. Most of the time, an IBS diagnosis may not be right for you. You could be likely suffering from one of these other conditions instead.
Different Types of IBS
It’s also important to note that there are four different types of IBS diagnoses. These four subtypes include:
- IBS-C- Constipation is more predominant in this type.
- IBS-D- Diarrhea is more prominent in this type.
- IBS-M- Diarrhea and constipation occur together.
- IBS-U- The “U” stands for unclassified because the symptoms can’t be under any of the other three subtypes.
The main problem that doctors face is when diagnosing a patient with one of these subtypes, their symptoms could likely make them switch to a different subtype. About 29% of people with IBS do switch back and forth between IBS-C and IBS-D. So although your diagnosis may be correct at the time, it could likely switch back and forth multiple times.
Symptoms that May Require Additional Testing
Sometimes, certain patients could start to develop some symptoms, also known as “alarm features,” that raise the alarm that something else may be occurring and require additional testing. These alarm features are iron deficiency anemia, fever, and blood in your stools. It would be beneficial for you to go to the doctor to see if you may have something else.
Your doctor may choose to perform other tests to rule out IBS. This could be a complete blood count, a stool study, or a metabolic panel. Whether you have IBS or something else, it’s still worth it to get yourself checked out. Getting more information about your condition helps you be safe than sorry.
If you or someone you know has been experiencing any abnormal changes in bowel habits, getting checked out will help you find out exactly what’s wrong with you and how to manage it. Have any questions or comments you want to add on why IBS is often an undiagnosed condition? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. As usual, like or share this post with someone you know suffering from this condition or a similar one.
