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Are Digestive Issues Making You Irritable?

Are Digestive Issues Making You Irritable?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a fairly common condition that is characterised by chronic abdominal pain or discomfort associated with a change in bowel habits which cannot be explained by any functional or biochemical abnormality. You know how it is when you’ve tried the antacids, you’ve increased your fibre, you’ve had the colonoscopy and you’re told that you’re “fine”… but you still have digestive issues! If you’re seeking irritable bowel syndrome help in Melbourne, read on to find out more about IBS with this blog post from Melbourne Natural Medicine Clinic.

IBS Criteria & Categories

IBS is determined from the following criteria:

  • Occurring for at least 3 months
  • Onset at least 6 months before presentation to health practitioner
  • Recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort
  • Two or more of the following symptoms:
    • Improvement with defecation
    • Onset associated with a change in frequency of stool
    • Onset associated with a change in form/appearance of stool

IBS can be classified into three categories:

  • Constipation predominant IBS (IBS-C)
  • Diarrhoea predominant IBS (IBS-D)
  • Mixed/alternating constipation & diarrhoea IBS (IBS-M)

What Causes IBS?

Though the cause of IBS is unclear, there are several factors that may contribute to digestive issues. These factors can include:

  • Food allergy/intolerances – Reactions to foods, additives or preservatives can cause irritation. Often, food sensitivities can be caused by some of the other factors below, such as intestinal permeability and dysbiosis.
  • Gastrointestinal dysbiosis – The gut microbiome (‘gut bugs’) can have a direct effect on bowel function. The presence of bad bugs, or an overgrowth or undergrowth of good bacteria, can affect motility, inflammation, gut hypersensitivity, immune function and intestinal permeability. The condition SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) can also lead to IBS-type symptoms.
  • Intestinal permeability – This can occur due to dysbiosis, infection/inflammation or stress. The integrity of the bowel is compromised and the bowel becomes more ‘permeable’, allowing an inflammatory process to occur.
  • Gastrointestinal infection/Post-infectious IBS – Some people will develop IBS after bacterial, viral or parasitic infections, e.g., ‘gastro’, food poisoning, etc.
  • Stress and psychosocial factors – Our gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus can be affected by our nervous system. Those who are ‘gut’ reactors will relate to this. For example, when you’re stressed, you can’t eat ,or you may get gut cramps or loose bowels. The gut-brain connection is powerful, and elevated stress hormones can affect bowel function.
  • Abnormal gastrointestinal motility – Similar to above, the speed of bowel transit can be affected by serotonin (95% in bowel, and 5% in the brain).

Thankfully, we can now investigate many of the above factors to determine whether these may be affecting your bowel symptoms. With natural medicines, we can support intestinal permeability, dysbiosis, SIBO, food sensitivities and the nervous system to reduce IBS symptoms.

Contact our clinic today to arrange a consultation and discover the available options for natural IBS treatment in Melbourne.

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I've been seeing Lina for about two years now to treat a skin related condition. Lina is extremely knowledgeable; she is patient and persistent but best of all, she is practical! Her advice was tailored to suit my lifestyle and commitments without being unworkable or unrealistic. She really cares and is passionate about health. I would recommend Lina 100%.
I have been seeing Erin Graystone for the past 4 months due to leaky gut symptoms and a bacterial overgrowth in my GI tract. Erin is knowledgeable, kind and understanding and really goes the extra mile to make sure you are getting the right treatment. My symptoms are greatly reduced and we are on track to a full recovery after 10 years of other practitioner’s not finding an answer. It’s been life changing. Can’t recommend her highly enough. Thankyou Erin
Today was my second visit with Lina who is so kind and caring and she has given me hope that my perimenopause symptoms can be balanced with her guidance. I have already felt a shift in my sleep which had been horrible. The clinic is so lovely, staff are very helpful and I look forward to the journey ahead of managing this transition in my life.
I've had stomach problems for years and doctors have never properly diagnosed the problem. After one meeting with Emma I was giving a breath test and found the issue. We are now working to fix the issue
I have been attending Emma Berry for long standing difficult gut-related issues. She has been so helpful and empathetic with dealing with my issues and diagnosing underlying pathology. This is the most progress I've made in years, after exploring lots of treatments. I could not recommend Emma more.
Olga's expertise and experience has brought my son's health back on track and he is now a much happier and healthier boy. Olga is thorough and covers all aspects of gut health. With Olga's support my son's health and overall wellbeing has improved immensely!
Highly recommend natural medicine, Rebecca has been fantastic and has helped me with most of areas of concern. Always attentive and has supported me all the way through . Thank you Rebecca
Angela was highly recommended by a friend. I found Angela very professional, patient & amazing. It is so easy to talk to her about all my health concerns & work through them. I love the way she explains how things work, the rationale behind getting tests done & the supplements she prescribed.

The staff at the clinic are warm, friendly & willing to help. ♥️

Thank you Angela & Team
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