Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is diagnosed after all other gastro-intestinal (gi) possibilities are eliminated. That means that the doctor must rule out all other conditions, and if nothing is found, a diagnosis of IBS is made. IBS is characterized by any combination of abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea, abdominal inflammation, gas, bloating, nausea and lack of appetite.
For people with constipation, fiber will often be helpful. Especially, fiber from fruits and vegetables. Fiber from wheat, cereals or grains may be problematic for patients with IBS, who are often affected by food sensitivities and may be aggravated by wheat or gluten. Fiber can potentially aggravate an IBS sufferer with diarrhea.
At Vitalia, many of our IBS patients benefit from two specialized types of testing of the gi tract:
- GI panel: a basic GI panel will identify if there are any bacterial, viral, parasitic or fungal infections in the GI tract. The presence of any of these indicates dysbiosis in the bowels. More comprehensive gi panels can provide information about the presence of good bacteria and the body’s ability to digest all types of foods; proteins, carbs, fats.
- Food Sensitivity Testing: This simple blood test provides the patient with a huge amount of information and the ability to educate themselves about their diets. For IBS sufferers, many symptoms are eliminated when food reactions are taken out of the body.