PATIENT PRESENTATION MARKER

Persistent abdominal pain

What this marker measures

The degree to which the patient reported abdominal pain in the last 3 months.

Health categories/Interpretations informed by this marker

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Clinical features
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‍● Lower GI symptoms: persistent abdominal pain is a commonly-reported lower gastrointestinal symptom that can affect quality of life.
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Interpreting the result

PRESENT

Questionnaire responses indicate abdominal pain on 1 or more days per week in the past 3 months.

PARTIALLY PRESENT

Questionnaire responses indicate abdominal pain less than 1 day per week in the past 3 months.

NOT PRESENT

Questionnaire responses indicate no abdominal pain in the past 3 months.

Patient management insights

DIETARY STRATEGIES

Add ground flaxseed: ground or whole flaxseed may improve the frequency of abdominal pain in IBS and functional constipation.^1,2
GRADE C

SUPPLEMENTATION

Take peppermint oil: enteric-coated peppermint oil may improve abdominal pain, sensation of incomplete emptying, pain with evacuation, faecal urgency and help normalise stool frequency in IBS.^3–5
GRADE C

Tips for patients discussion

"Your questionnaire responses show that you've been having tummy pain. This is common and can affect how you feel day to day. Adding ground flaxseed to your meals is one simple option we can try, and we'll look at your other results to see what else might help."

Source references for all clinical associations, interpretation definitions, and patient management insights on this card.

1. Cockerell, K. M. et al. Effects of linseeds on the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome: a pilot randomised controlled trial. J Hum Nutr Diet 25, 435–443 (2012).
2. Sun, J. et al. Effects of flaxseed supplementation on functional constipation and quality of life in a Chinese population: a randomized trial. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 29, 61–67 (2020).
3. Cappello, G. et al. Peppermint oil (Mintoil) in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: a prospective double blind placebo-controlled randomized trial. Dig Liver Dis 39, 530–536 (2007).
4. Liu, J.-H. et al. Enteric-coated peppermint-oil capsules in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: a prospective, randomized trial. J Gastroenterol 32, 765–768 (1997).
5. Cash, B. D., Epstein, M. S. & Shah, S. M. A novel delivery system of peppermint oil is an effective therapy for irritable bowel syndrome symptoms. Dig Dis Sci 61, 560–571 (2016).