Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Do you experience bloating or abdominal pain regularly?

Do you tend toward constipation, diarrhea, or perhaps alternate between the two?

If so, you may have irritable bowel syndrome or IBS. In the United States, it is thought that 10-15% of the population suffers from some form of IBS. For some people, symptoms are daily and severe. For others, symptoms come and go and may be worse with stress, travel, or after certain meals.

I treat IBS by first taking a thorough history. This tells me about diet, stress, and exercise, all key components to good gut health. I then perform a physical exam. Sometimes, involvement is limited to the intestines, but other times, there may be involvement of other organs, like the liver or gall bladder. 

The two most common tests that I run are food sensitivity and stool tests. With the food sensitivity test, I try to see how much relief you get from avoiding particular foods. Sometimes this is the whole answer and symptoms subside completely. Other times, it is part of the solution. The stool test gives me information about the microbiome, including beneficial bacteria (probiotics), problematic bacteria, yeast, parasites, and digestive markers. For example, they look for fat in the stool, which should not be present. When there is fat, there is a problem digesting and absorbing fat from the diet as well as all fat soluble vitamins like vitamins A, D, E, and K. 

If you are experiencing digestive problems, there are a number of tests and treatment options. They can help relieve your symptoms and help you better digest your food, leading to better absorption and a healthier body.