Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is ultimately a blanket diagnosis for underlying symptoms of gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, or both! Subtypes can be classified as diarrhea (IBS – D), constipation (IBS – C), or mixed (IBS-M or IBS-DC). Furthermore, people may experience mucous in the stool, urgency to defecate, and cramping (commonly relieved by a bowel movement).
IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning once all underlying pathologies like inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, and infection have been ruled out, your symptoms are assumed to be as a result of your nervous system.
People are often told they’ll have to live with symptoms, and to manage them by taking psyllium and reducing stress, often with little success.
Our Naturopaths recognize that multiple food sensitivities, bacterial overgrowth, and an overactive enteric nervous system can play a large role in these symptoms, and management with natural therapies is extremely effective at addressing the root causes.
Lab Testing:
Further testing may be required, to deem if inflammation is attributed to inflammatory food reactions, or if fermentation is occurring in the small intestine or colon. Such testing may include
– food allergy testing
– lactulose breath testing
– comprehensive stool sample and parasitology
Goals of therapy:
Our Naturopaths focuses on addressing the root cause of your symptoms, with goals of treatment aiming to effectively rule out any underlying dysbiosis, food sensitivities, and infections/inflammation.
Natural therapies work effectively to relieve the painful symptoms of gas and bloating, to resolve gut inflammation, to ultimately restore the proper functioning of the gut.
Therapies involve personalised dietary adjustments, supplements, and lifestyle changes that support the health of the GI tract. Natural health products are chosen when appropriate, and work to balance the nervous system, improve the integrity of the gut lining, the rebuild healthy gut bacteria.
If you have any further questions, book a free consultation today!