Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?
With a prevalence of 10-20% worldwide, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is an exceedingly common digestive disorder characterized by abdominal pain and distension, changes in bowel habits (constipation, diarrhea, or both), and is usually a long-term affliction.
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IBS has historically been considered a “disease of exclusion”, meaning that an organic cause cannot be found through lab work or imaging, and that the diagnosis is made after all other causes have been ruled out.
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Conventional medical care may be inadequate for these patients because a definitive cause cannot be determined. A handful of drugs are currently on the market to help alleviate symptoms, but they do not address the root cause in the way that naturopathic medicine can.
Possible Treatments and Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Due to the complexities of IBS and the intricacies of the workings of the human digestive tract, a single treatment is unlikely to be fully beneficial for managing IBS symptoms effectively. Using a multi-pronged approach that takes advantage of the various approaches available is more likely to result in adequate symptomatic control and management of the condition long term.
Inflammation of the Gut
Low grade inflammation of the gut has been implicated in IBS, not to be confused with irritable bowel diseases. Inflammatory cells of the intestinal lining have been detected in IBS patients, and they have an increase in inflammatory markers called cytokines in both the blood and lining of the colon.
Sensitivity of the Gut
Food sensitivities, unbalanced flora, and improper fermentation can set up a condition in the gut that then only takes a trigger, like emotional or physical stress or a dose of sensitive food, to cause reactions and symptoms.
History of Infection
Post-infection IBS is the development of IBS in the aftermath of an intestinal infection that can last long after the infection itself resolves.
This is thought to create abnormal gastrointestinal motility and increased contractility of the smooth muscle, perhaps due to inflammatory processes.
Our Approach to Treating IBS
Most patients who visit our practice have tried eliminating foods from their diets, seen many providers, performed numerous GI tests and still don’t have answers for why they don’t feel well. IBS generally does not start over night.
Our goal is to determine what has brought the patient to this point and understand why this person has developed IBS. During an extensive initial patient, we will cover a thorough timeline of health history, evaluate past health records, document treatments tried and understand who the patient is as a person.
Once we have an understanding of the most likely reason for the symptoms, we create an individualized plan that may include a variety of treatments, lifestyle changes and more.
