Rome criteria for irritable bowel syndrome

Introduction

Criteria:

• at least 3 months of continuous or recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort relieved by defecation
• symptoms may be associated with a change in stool frequency or consistency

2 or more of the following

• altered stool frequency
  • > 3 bowel movements/day or < 3 bowel movements/week
• altered stool form: lumpy, hard or loose, watery
• altered stool passage:
  • straining, urgency, feeling of incomplete evacuation
• passage of mucus
• bloating or feeling of abdominal distention

More general terms

• criteria

Additional terms

• irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)