A 33-year-old female reports having abdominal pain and altered bowel habits. She describes her stools as sometimes hard and sometimes loose. She feels the pain ease after having a bowel movement. She does not have any systemic symptoms. What could be the cause of her symptoms?
This patient's symptoms of abdominal pain that is relieved with bowel movements, along with altered bowel habits that fluctuate between constipation and diarrhea, point to Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Mixed Bowel Habits (IBS-M). While IBS is primarily diagnosed based on symptom criteria, it is also important to exclude other conditions that can present similarly, especially given the change in her bowel habits.