IBS is one of the most common digestion issues we work with in our functional medicine Naperville office. Successful IBS treatment requires a thorough assessment of the various systems of your body so that a comprehensive treatment plan can be created just for you. IBS is a functional gut issue. This means it is diagnosed based on your symptoms; it is not diagnosed by a colonoscopy or “IBS blood test.”
Because IBS is a functional gut problem, it calls for a functional-gut solution. Applying an integrated wellness approach, you can discover why your bowels are not functioning properly and how to restore balance again. Learn more from our functional medicine IBS specialist on natural solutions for this condition below.
Solutions For IBS Treatment in Naperville
So how do you find a functional medicine doctor who can help you discover why you have IBS and how to reverse it? Well, you could do an online search for a functional medicine doctor near me, but you will also want to spend some time on that doctor’s website so you can gain a better understanding of how they treat IBS.
Not all integrated wellness doctors are the same and you want to make sure you work with someone who is a good match for your needs and has had years of clinical experience working with IBS.
At Naperville Integrated Wellness, we specialize in gastrointestinal disorders such a IBS. In fact, more than half of our patients have gastrointestinal symptoms, many of which fall into the category of IBS.
Treating IBS with Functional Medicine
IBS is best treated with functional medicine as this approach seeks to identify and treat the root cause of the symptoms you suffer from. Treating your symptoms is not going to address the real problem so symptom relief does not necessarily mean condition relief. It is important to understand that IBS is not just a bowel issue. The solutions to this problem can be found in several areas. Three of the top causes will be discussed in the paragraphs below.
IBS Functional Medicine Doctor
Finding the right doctor to treat your IBS is crucial because the problems that cause this can lead to other significant health problems in the future. For example, it is not uncommon that a person with IBS-D (diarrhea) may also have nutrient deficiencies leading to other symptoms like fatigue, bone pain, mood changes, muscle aches and weakness. These symptoms can be a sign of a serious medical issue. Some health conditions that can occur include anemia (B12 or iron deficiency), osteopenia or osteoporosis, poor immune function and healing, and impaired brain function, to name just a few. Your local IBS functional medicine doctor will get to the bottom of your IBS so you can avoid the long term consequences of this condition.
Top 3 Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
What are some of the most common factors that cause IBS? Let’s look at 3 common areas of dysfunction that may need to be evaluated. You will also see that all 3 of these root causes are related. Since women are much more likely to suffer with IBS, let’s consider hormones first.
Hormones and IBS
I see many young women in my office who develop IBS after they begin menstruating and I also see many women who develop IBS during perimenopause and after menopause. Then there is large group of women who begin suffering with IBS after they have been on birth control hormones for a few years. So what do all of these women have in common? Significant changes in their hormones! If you suffer with hormonal symptoms or if you are using birth control, then your hormones may be part of the problem. Hormone imbalances can affect the nervous system of your gut and make you more susceptible to food sensitivities through changes in your immune system.
Nervous System Chemicals and Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Another major cause of IBS is the nervous system. In fact, many of my patients with IBS also have anxiety or depression. For your bowels to work properly, the 
nerves of your gut and your brain need to produce balanced levels of chemicals called neurotransmitters. In functional medicine we call this the gut-brain connection. Common neurotransmitters produced by the gut and brain include serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine and GABA. If your digestive tract cannot maintain ideal levels of these neurotransmitters, it simply won’t function properly. These chemicals are influenced by several factors including; hormonal imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, inflammation and food sensitivities. Learn more about your nervous system and IBS now.
IBS and Your Diet
You have probably suspected that diet can play a role in IBS. When I consider diet and IBS I am usually looking at food sensitivities or food allergies. This is where food sensitivity testing can be very useful. Food sensitivity and food allergy testing helps you determine which foods to avoid and which foods to eat. Without testing, it can be very difficult to create a diet that works for you. Again, you can do a search online for food allergy testing near me, but you need to work with a doctor who understand HOW to interpret the results and construct an appropriate diet based on your results. It is NOT as simple as avoiding the foods that come up positive on the test. This is a common mistake made by patients and practitioners alike. Food sensitivities and allergies are a common source of inflammation and leaky gut; both of which will make recovery from IBS difficult if not impossible. The inflammation caused by these foods can interfere with hormone regulation and neurotransmitter function.
Schedule An IBS Treatment In Naperville Today
When visiting an IBS specialist with interest in establishing an IBS treatment plan, you can expect a thorough approach that includes a detailed review of your medical history and symptoms, a physical examination, and possibly diagnostic tests like blood, stool, imaging, or endoscopic procedures to rule out other conditions. Based on these findings, Naperville Integrated Wellness will develop a personalized treatment plan, which may involve dietary adjustments, lifestyle changes, and possibly probiotics or supplements. Regular follow-up appointments will help monitor your progress and adjust the treatment as needed, and holistic approaches such as alternative therapies might also be recommended to manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life. Looking for a natural solution to IBS near Mokena, Glen Ellyn, Lisle, Bolingbrook, Chicago or other local areas? Contact our office for IBS treatment in Naperville today!
Wishing you the best of luck on your journey to health!
Do your own research, stay informed, and ask plenty of questions. When gathering information, it’s crucial to consider the source. The healthcare field is rife with false, misleading, outdated, profit-driven, and biased information, even from highly respected sources and organizations.
This healthcare approach does not aim to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease. Why? Because the FDA mandates that these terms can only be applied to drugs, and this method does not involve drug usage.
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