Irritable Bowel Syndrome

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What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is commonly called IBS and it is the most common diagnosed digestion problem that people present to their doctors or naturopaths for.

Once conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease has been ruled out, which is conditions like Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s disease then you are usually given the label of IBS. The medical treatment of IBS includes medications like Imodium and Movicol to address the symptoms of IBS but they do not treat the cause.

If you have the following symptoms the chances are you will be diagnosed with IBS by your doctor:

  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation
  • Alternating Diarrhea and constipation
  • Bloating
  • Gas
  • Indigestion

Irritable bowel syndrome can be uncomfortable for some people, embarrassing for others (creating too much wind!) and absolutely debilitating for others (needing to know where the toilets are wherever they go).

Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome:

Irritable bowel syndrome has many causes, is not one condition or disease, but a collection of symptoms that can have many causes.

Identifying the cause of IBS can save a lot of time and money which could be wasted on unnecessary supplements, strange diets or years of discomfort if you do not find the cause.

Food intolerances

Helicobacter Pylori Infection

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)

Parasite or Bacterial Infections

Low Levels of Beneficial Bacteria

Low Levels of Stomach Acid and Pancreatic Enzymes

The Best Test to Identify Irritable Bowel Syndrome

There is no one test to identify all digestion problems, but the two tests that I would recommend to find out exactly what is happening with your digestion are an SIBO breath test and a Comprehensive Digestive Stool analysis.

SIBO is short for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth and be easily tested at home with a special SIBO breath test collection kit. The test requires you to do a breath sample every 20 minutes for a 3 hour period to track and detect the presence of hydrogen and methane gases, these gases should not be detected in your digestion tract so a positive reading indicates SIBO.

Click to learn more about the SIBO breath test and how to order your own test kit.

The GI MAP STOOL TEST is the most advanced stool test available, it is a simple test to do and can be done from the comfort of your own home with the home collection kit that we send to you.

The GI Map test is able to identify:

  • Bacteria and parasite infections
  • Beneficial bacteria
  • Helicobacter pylori
  • Digestive enzymes and absorption markers
  • Inflammatory markers
  • Intestinal permeability
  • Candida and yeast infections
  • and much more

Learn more about the GI Map stool test and how to order your own test.

The Best Test to Identify Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Not too sure where to start!? If your not sure what the best testing options are for you, a good place to start is our hugely popular ‘Investigation Consultation’

Your 30 minute ‘‘Investigation Consultation’ is a deep dive into your health history, current health problems and planning session to work out the best testing options for you.

You will be emailed a report detailing the action steps you need to take.

So schedule your 30 minute in-depth Investigation Consultation today and discover the right testing option for you.

Act now and get the answers you need to put you on the right path towards a healthier and happier you.


Frequently Asked Questions About Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Testing

What is the best treatment for irritable bowel syndrome?

This is going to depend on the underlying cause of your irritable bowel syndrome which is why I recommend getting tested with the GI Map test. If you have the symptoms of IBS I would start with short term diet changes like the low FODMAP diet to see if this has a positive effect

How can I cure IBS permanently?

Yes if you identify and address the underlying cause of IBS it can be eliminated permanently. Medications only treat the symptoms. Testing if there is any food triggers is a good idea and by doing tests like the GI Map test we can identify the cause and help with a permanent treatment.

Can you buy over-the-counter medicine for IBS?

There are many over-the-counter medicines for IBS but they all treat the symptoms and do not address the underlying cause which can be food intolerances, bacteria overgrowth or missing the good bacteria, candida or parasites.

Does irritable bowel syndrome go away?

Irritable bowel syndrome does not usually go away unless you are proactive with treatment. The first step is to experiment with diet changes as this can have a big influence on digestion and if this does not work doing further testing to help identify the underlying cause is the next step.