If you have a history of chronic constipation, bloating, hypochlorhydria or maldigestion, you may benefit from testing for bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine, SIBO.
Without proper testing, SIBO can be misdiagnosed as IBS. SIBO can occur on its own or may also be related to other conditions such as infection, Lyme, Candida, autoimmune disease, Crohn’s or Ulcerative Colitis. Because of this, it’s important to first identity SIBO, locate its cause, and then find an effective treatment.
Seeking to get to the root cause of digestive concerns, the Functional Medicine team at Aligned Modern Health offers a full range of diagnostic testing, including SIBO testing in Chicago. If overgrowth is detected after testing changes in diet, digestive support, or probiotic and antimicrobial remedies may be used to treat SIBO.
What is SIBO?
Small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a common gastrointestinal disorder that often underlies chronic gastrointestinal symptoms of maldigestion and malabsorption, including bloating, gas, diarrhea, irregularity and abdominal pain, and the inability to tolerate sweet or starchy foods, fiber or friendly flora supplements. A commonly diagnosed gastrointestinal disorder included in the SIBO family is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and the SIBO test can aid in identifying a potential cause of IBS. Hydrogen breath testing suggests that 50 to 75 percent of patients with IBS have SIBO. Other causes of SIBO can include Crohn’s Disease, adhesions, radiation damage and lymphoma.
Testing for SIBO
Working with a Functional Medicine doctor at Aligned Modern Health can help you learn how to identify and treat SIBO. Your doctor will work with you to create an individualized treatment plan that gets to the root cause of your complaints.
Testing is imperative for those who may be suffering from SIBO, because clinical signs may be tough to read without further knowledge. Bacterial overgrowth can manifest slowly over time, and successful eradication after proper diagnosis can help with reduction of bloating, gas, diarrhea and abdominal pain. If untested, SIBO can lead to more serious health issues such as malnutrition and weight loss, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis and more.
SIBO Treatment
Functional medicine takes a comprehensive approach to addressing SIBO. Functional Medicine recognizes that each individual is unique, and therefore, treatment plans are personalized based on the patient’s specific needs.
This may involve addressing underlying conditions or imbalances that contribute to SIBO – such as gut motility issues and immune system dysfunction.
Functional Medicine also emphasizes the importance of dietary interventions in managing SIBO. This may include limiting carbohydrates and sugar, as well as implementing specific dietary protocols like the low FODMAP diet, which reduces fermentable carbohydrates that can feed the bacteria in the small intestine.
Our team includes qualified licensed dietitian nutritionists who can work directly with your needs to help you implement dietary changes.
Functional Medicine may complement or be an alternative to prescription treatment, depending on your unique health concerns. In doing so, Functional Medicine can include herbal antimicrobial therapies that target and reduce the overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine.
These treatments aim to restore a healthy balance of gut flora. In some cases, Functional Medicine practitioners may recommend the use of probiotics to help restore a healthy balance of gut bacteria. However, it’s important to introduce probiotics correctly and under the guidance of a healthcare professional.
Begin SIBO Treatment Today!
If you have questions about SIBO and your digestive health, our Functional Medicine and Clinical Nutrition team is ready to help you at several convenient locations in Chicago and surrounding suburbs – and online with Telemedicine appointments available in several states. Request an appointment or free consultation, below.
Schedule
Please fill out the form to request an appointment at our health and wellness center for the service and location of your preference. We try to get back to all requests as quickly as possible. If you need immediate assistance, please call 773-598-4387.
Your safety comes first: we are operating with heightened safety measures in our clinics and offer telemedicine for those unable to visit in person.
