New national survey: Most people with symptoms of IBS go undiagnosed

Survey shows lack of awareness of IBS may impact medical care

More than 13 percent of participants in a national survey indicated they suffer from symptoms suggesting irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), yet only a fraction of this group – less than one out of five – said they have been diagnosed with the disease.

This finding is significant, according to a president and founder of the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD), which conducted the survey of 1,000 US adults. IBS is the most common diagnosis made by gastroenterologists and one of the most common disorders seen by primary care doctors. Yet a vast number of people who suffer from IBS may not be getting the medical care they need.

IBS can have a major impact on those living with the disease. Eighty-five percent of respondents who suffer from symptoms suggesting IBS describe their symptoms as bothersome, and nearly 30 percent report symptoms that at least weekly affect their ability to continue their normal routine.

People who think they are experiencing the symptoms of IBS, and are impaired in their quality of life by these symptoms, should see their doctors, says a professor of medicine, physiology, psychiatry and bio-behavioral sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles. Because they’re unware of the condition, many people experiencing the symptoms of IBS don’t seek medical care. They need to know more about IBS and that medical science has made great strides in diagnosing and treating it.

Awareness of IBS impact care

According to the survey, only 66 percent of all respondents have heard of "irritable bowel syndrome" and only 17 percent indicated they understood what it means. This lack of understanding of IBS may be why many of those who are symptomatic have not received a diagnosis. People may not realize that their symptoms add up to IBS, even though they may have heard of the disease. They need to see their doctor so they can receive optimal care.