Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder that affects the large intestine creating symptoms that include cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea or constipation or both. It’s primarily a chronic condition that needs to be managed long term.
IBS Diagnosis
Since there are no tests that can definitively diagnose this disorder, a patient needs to have a complete medical history review usually with a physical exam. A patient with IBS needs to meet most of the following diagnostic criteria:
- Abdominal pain and discomfort lasting for at least the last three months that may be associated with pain while defecating, changes in defecating frequency and a marked difference in stool consistency.
- This abdominal disorder can be divided into three general types: constipation is predominant; diarrhea is predominant or mix of both.
- Other symptoms that might suggest other more serious conditions such as weight loss, rectal bleeding, fever, nausea, recurrent vomiting, persistent diarrhea, and anemia related to low iron.
IBS Testing
The most common test for IBS is a comprehensive stool analysis which will check your healthy probiotic profile, overgrowth of bad yeast, pathogenic bacterial infection and also check for parasites. The patient may also have to undergo a number of other diagnostic tests to rule out other causes such as a colonoscopy, an X-ray or CT scan, and in more serious cases, perform an upper endoscopy. Laboratory tests may include a lactose intolerance test, a breath test to determine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and finally, more specific stool tests to examine for bacteria or parasites.
IBS False Treatment
The ‘standard model’ allopathic Drugs and Surgery approach has no cure for this. Patients are often told, “it is all in your head” and given anti-anxiety meds. Mild symptoms can generally be controlled by the simple act of managing stress, along with making the necessary changes in diet and lifestyle. For example, avoiding foods that trigger symptoms, drinking plenty of fluids, eating high fiber foods, exercising and most importantly, getting enough sleep. The patient is encouraged to avoid high-gas foods may lead to increased gas and subsequent bloating. With more serious conditions, the patient’s doctor may recommend medications that include fiber supplements, laxatives, anti-diarrheal medications, anticholinergic medications or tricyclic antidepressants.
IBS True Treatment
Natural integrated Functional Medicine approaches do work to relieve and ultimately heal IBS disorder. Those treatment include a comprehensive approach (see our 5 Phase Treatment Plan and Healthy Trinity Treatment Strategy). Treatment includes a
diet ideal for that person (as determined by testing not guessing), also natural supplements of FDA lab quality (normal health food store or Amazon remedies are often bogus, ineffective or not even what is listed on label) and finally Mind-Body lifestyle changes which can be tailored for the individual patient lifestyle. Some people need more exercise but some exercise too much. As with all natural healing approaches, the Treatment Plan must be designed for that individual person’s unique challenge. For example, everyone has heard of probiotics but there are many types and they may make this condition worse. We see a lot of patients (too many!) who made things worse by grabbing some random probiotic or Remove herb then using it ineffectively. Treatment for IBS requires testing and specific design for the patients unique challenge.
