A 38-year-old woman complains of chronic constipation and abdominal pain, which she believes is linked to her eating habits. She describes the pain as crampy and located in the lower abdomen. She does not report any weight loss, bleeding, or anemia. How would you proceed with this case?
Her symptoms of chronic constipation, abdominal pain that's linked to eating, and absence of red flag symptoms suggest a diagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation (IBS-C). Still, it's prudent to perform a thorough physical exam and baseline lab work, including a complete blood count and thyroid function tests, to exclude other causes of constipation. Furthermore, patient education, dietary modifications, and stress management strategies may also be beneficial.