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What causes constipation? And how is constipation medically defined? Get the basics on this common gastrointestinal complaint here....
Constipation is defined differently by different people. Learn to identify signs and symptoms of constipation and know when to ask for medical help....
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Q: IBS
asked by: DoctorQuestion on April 30th, 2008
I have been having stoamch cramps the last 9 months, occasionaly I have to go to teh bathroom when I have them. My doctor thinks ist IBS. How can I be sure, because I am really nervous about this. My appetite is good, no weight lost etc...

Please try and help me!


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Dr. Nikola Gjuzelov , MD
replied on May 5th, 2008
IBS Answer
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional disorder of the digestive tract. It can manifest with diarrhea, constipation, bloating, abdominal cramps etc. “Functional disorder” means that there organic disorders (infection, tumor, injury, congenital anomaly, peptic ulcer, appendicitis, gallstones etc.) of the digestive tract are not present as symptoms.

Before claiming IBS to be the cause of these symptoms, all the organic possibilities have to be excluded first. This requires several diagnostic procedures: a clinical examination, blood laboratory tests, an abdominal ultrasound, microbiological examinations of the feces, etc. If these tests do not reveal the cause, other invasive procedures can be performed such as a colonoscopy and/or gastroscopy.


You may want to consult an internist about this.


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