Naperville Integrated Wellness

NAPERVILLE'S TOP RATED LOCAL® FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE FACILITY

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Living with IBS can be very distressing and interfere with normal daily activities, especially one’s social and professional life. The impact on one’s life can range from quite mild to extreme debilitation. Symptoms and severity of symptoms are often unpredictable and this can lead to anxiety which makes symptoms even worse. According to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, IBS affects up to 45 million people in the United States. Approximately 70% of those with IBS are women but men and children are also affected by this condition. More than 25% of all visits to gastroenterologists are due to IBS related symptoms. This disorder of the gastrointestinal tract is often characterized by abdominal pain, cramping, gas, bloating and altered stool Woman in the toiletconsistency (diarrhea or diarrhea and constipation).

What Causes IBS?

The precise cause of IBS is not known, but like many other chronic health conditions, there is no single cause. There does however appear to be a strong connection between the gut and the chemicals produced by the nervous system. Diet may also play a role in this condition and individuals with IBS sometimes benefit by removing dairy and/or gluten from their diet while others may experience relief by eliminating FODMAPs (fermentable oligo-di-monosaccharides and polyols). FODMAPs refers to certain carbohydrates found in various fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy products.

Functional Medicine Treatment

The most important feature of IBS is that it is a functional disorder of the gut; this means it is having difficulty regulating its own normal function. Taking a functional medicine approach to this condition often provides better outcomes for patient’s suffering from this condition. Physicians practicing functional medicine are able to evaluate and manage dietary, hormonal and neurological / neurotransmitter imbalances that often lead to gut dysregulation and IBS.

Your Body’s Other Brain

In our office we often find that IBS sufferers have neurotransmitter imbalances in the gut. Neurotransmitters are chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, acetylcholine and GABA) that are produced by nerves so they can “talk” to one another. Without proper amounts of neurotransmitters being produced by the nerves of the gut, normal function simply cannot occur. The gut actually has its own nervous system called the enteric nervous system. The enteric nervous system if frequently referred to as our body’s second brain; so we really have 2 brains, the one in our skull and the one in our bellies. In fact, your gut-brain produces larger quantities of some neurotransmitters than your head-brain does!  There are millions and millions of neurons that connect the brain to the enteric nervous system and this vital connection of nerves monitors and controls the entire digestive tract. If you brain does not produce enough neurotransmitters, normal function declines and you may experience depression, anxiety, insomnia, etc. When the gut does not produce ideal levels of neurotransmitters it does not function properly either. Many IBS sufferers are actually suffering from a neurotransmitter imbalance that is localized in the gut. Some of these same people are also failing to produce balanced neurotransmitters in their brain and suffer with anxiety or depression. The good news is that there are treatment options that can raise and balance the neurotransmitters in the gut without taking prescription medication.

If you are looking for a functional medicine doctor in Aurora, Naperville or Wheaton, please contact us today!

If you would like more information about functional medicine, Dr. Sexton or IBS please contact our office or visit our website.

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