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Types of irritable bowel syndrome

Alexey Portnov, medical expert
Last reviewed: 19.10.2021

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Classification

Roman criteria III (2006) include the following headings.

C - functional disorders of the intestine.
C1 - irritable bowel syndrome.
C2 - functional bloating.
NW - functional constipation.
C4 - functional diarrhea.
C5 - nonspecific functional intestinal disorder.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a stable set of functional disorders lasting not less than 12 weeks for the last 12 months, accompanied by pain (discomfort) in the abdomen, which corresponds to the following characteristics:

passes after defecation;
accompanied by a change in the frequency and consistency of the stool;
for 25% of the duration of the disease is combined with 2 (or more) persistent symptoms of bowel dysfunction (change in stool frequency, stool consistency, mucus secretion with feces, flatulence, defecation act - imperative urges, tenesmus, incomplete bowel emptying, defecation).

Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by the variability and recurrent nature of complaints, there is no progression, weight loss. It is possible to intensify the disorder under the influence of stress, it is not excluded the connection with other functional disorders (irritated stomach syndrome, autonomic dystonia, orthostatic vascular disorders, neuroses, irritable bladder syndrome, etc.).

According to Roman Criteria III (2006), the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome is established in the presence of recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort in the abdomen during 3 days of each month for the last 3 months in combination with any 2 (or more) of the following:

improvement after defecation;
the beginning is associated with a change in stool frequency;
the beginning is associated with a change in the form of feces.

Assess the consistency of bowel movements and determine the variant of irritable bowel syndrome is helped by the Bristol feces scale.

Type 1 - separate hard, like nuts, clots, difficult to advance.
Type 2 - in the form of a sausage, but lumpy.
Type 3 - in the form of a sausage, but with a ribbed surface.
Type 4 - in the form of a sausage or snake, smooth and soft.
Type 5 - soft little balls with even edges.
Type 6 - loose particles with uneven edges; mashed potatoes.
Type 7 - watery stool without solid particles.

The first 2 types testify in favor of constipation, the 6th and 7th indicate the presence of diarrhea.