Receiving An IBS “Diagnosis”
“Oe of the more common reasons people call for our help is to deal with chronic digestive issues such as GERD AKA heartburn, gas and bloating after eating meals, stomach pain and cramping, constipation, diarrhea, or a little of both, and other gut-related pain and discomfort.
In almost all of these cases, these people see their family doctor and maybe even a specialist like a gastroenterologist… and all of the testing comes back “normal”. Then they are told that they just have something called IBS AKA irritable bowel syndrome. But that isn’t a very helpful diagnosis. Let’s take a look at why.
Diagnosis is in parenthesis because it’s not really a diagnosis. It’s just saying that certain symptoms are present without any specific or known cause that result in irritable bowel syndrome. IBS, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome, simply means that there is a group of symptoms present without any specific or known causes that result in the symptoms the person is having.
At PEAK, we take the time to get to the bottom of your irritable bowel syndrome and determine the root cause so you can live a healthier life. Contact us, let’s talk.
Seven Common Causes Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
We want you to know the potential causes so you can start thinking about what may have been missed to this point and so you can get to the bottom of what’s causing your problems once and for all. Many of these causes are not considered in the conventional medical world. While these are potential causes, we do not know if they are the cause for your IBS symptoms without further investigation. Below are 7 common causes of IBS:
1. Yeast Overgrowth Can Cause IBS
One cause for Irritable Bowel Syndrome can be yeast overgrowth, specifically a yeast growth type called candida. Food that contains sugar and simple carbohydrates and has a higher likelihood of being contaminated with yeast can have the potential to create IBS symptoms. If your diet has a consistent amount of yeast that triggers your IBS symptoms, it might be time to consider changing your diet.
2. Food Intolerances Can Cause IBS
Speaking of a healthy diet, there are a lot of food intolerances or food allergies that can create IBS symptoms. Some people have gluten intolerances while other’s stomachs have a reaction to carbonation, spicy foods or dairy products. Some irritable bowel syndrome food intolerances are obvious, other foods aren’t as obvious. Sometimes, even seemingly healthy foods can be a trigger. Learn more when you come to PEAK.
3. Leaky Gut Can Cause IBS
While leaky gut does not always result in bowel issues 70 % of people diagnosed with leaky gut have IBS like symptoms. Being diagnosed with leaky gut (also called increased intestinal permeability syndrome) can help you narrow down the causes of IBS. Leaky gut and IBS have a lot of similarities in their symptoms as well as some of their causes potentially being diet related.
4. Parasites Can Cause IBS
A parasitic infection can cause major gut issues, pain and bloating and the end result of irritable bowel syndrome. Protozoan parasitic infections in the gut are one of the common reasons people are diagnosed with IBS.
5. Heavy Metal Toxicity Can Cause IBS
There are a variety of metals that can cause heavy metal toxicity in your body. Some only need to be a small amount while others need to accumulate a large amount in your body. Metals are a problem because the “bad bugs” that live in the gut use them to create a protective coating making them more resistant to antibiotics and other treatments.
6. Zinc/Magnesium Deficiency Can Cause IBS
In contrast to heavy metal toxicity is deficient in metals like zinc and magnesium. Being deficient in magnesium or deficient in zinc comes with a variety of symptoms including fatigue and a loss of appetite. The symptoms can also align with a large number of IBS symptoms.
7. SIBO/SIFO Can Cause IBS
SIBO stands for small intestine bacterial overgrowth and SIFO stands for small intestinal fungal overgrowth. When excessive bacteria grows in the small intestine the results and symptoms are extremely similar to IBS. SIBO can greatly impact your health, so do not ignore your IBS symptoms.
Find Out What Is Causing Your IBS
Learn more about IBS and receive help diagnosing and determining the cause of your irritable bowel syndrome. We want you to live and feel healthier without the symptoms of IBS. Learn about IBS and how PEAK Integrative Medicine can help you. We provide direct primary care and functional medicine. Learn about our services and pricing or schedule a call with us today!