To successfully treat and prevent recurrence of irritable bowel syndrome we need to understand and — if possible — remove the underlying causes and risk factors. We need to ask: "What else is going on inside the body that might allow irritable bowel syndrome to develop?"
Accurate diagnosis of the factors behind irritable bowel syndrome consists of three steps:
Cause | Probability | Status |
---|---|---|
Bacterial Dysbiosis | 96% | Confirm |
Stomach Acid Deficiency | 63% | Possible |
Hypercoagulation | 19% | Unlikely |
Anxiety | 4% | Ruled out |
Low Digestive Enzymes | 1% | Ruled out |
Chronic Fatigue-Fibromyalgia | 1% | Ruled out |
Have you been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?
Possible responses:
→ No / don't know→ Mild, in the past, now resolved → Serious, in the past, now resolved → Current minor/moderate problem → Current major problem |
Some bacterial infections of the small bowel increase passive intestinal permeability. IBS has been studied in patients with diarrhea, cramps and specific food intolerances. Abnormal fecal flora has been a consistent finding, with a decrease in the ratio of anaerobes to aerobes, apparently due to a deficiency of anaerobic flora. Previous exposure to antibiotics – metronidazole in particular – was associated with the development of this disorder.
Hypercoagulation may be a major causative factor for Irritable Bowel Disease because it deprives the bowel of blood.
Research has shown that IBS frequently co-exists with CFS and fibromyalgia. Depending on the study quoted, between 34% and 73% of CFS/FMS sufferers have Irritable Bowel Syndrome.