Constipation, Diarrhea and IBS

Constipation and Diarrhea are common complaints for many patients, and most of them feel it is “just how they are” and that it is something they have to live with. Laxatives and other medications are not long term solutions to these problems. If you are not moving your bowels regularly and daily you could have a developing condition that could cause more serious problems later on. Chronic constipation can cause a back up of waste material into the intestines. This material can be harmful if retained in the bowels. Remember there is a reason that the body is trying to eliminate it.

Recurrent diarrhea or loose stools are frequently a sign of abnormal flora in the gut. There are normal beneficial bacteria which reside in our intestine that help aide in digestion and keep harmful bacterial from taking up residence. Did you know that antibiotic use often disrupts the normal beneficial bacteria living within our GI tract? When these “good” bacteria are killed off it allows harmful bacteria and even yeast (candida) to flourish. This situation is called bacterial overgrowth. This can result in diarrhea, loose stools and even constipation.

Occasionally, constipation or diarrhea is often a symptom of other internal conditions occurring within the body. Conditions such as thyroid abnormality, chronic candida, and autoimmune attack on the intestines can all cause bowel irregularity. Normal intestinal function and health is very important to your overall health and wellbeing. We can help to diagnose the cause of the irregularity and exclude more serious conditions.

Gastrointestinal Issues

• Information from Diagnos-Techs, Inc. Clinical and Research Laboratory
• Get to the bottom of heartburn, bloating, and diarrhea…
• You don't have to travel to another country to contract a parasite; they are all around us, both in big cities, and in small towns.

• Also, using antibiotics without an evaluation to reveal the type of infection can result in using an inappropriate antibiotic. This can actually strengthen the offending microbes and make it more difficult and expensive to treat. Overutilization of antibiotics renders the gastrointestinal tract more susceptible to chronic overgrowth of harmful micro-organisms.

• Currently, World Health Organization studies indicate that about ½ billion individuals are infected annually by Amoeba histolytica and about the same number are infected by Giardia and cryptosporidium. Considering all parasites, more than ¼ of the Earth's population is infected at any time.

Bodily functions affected by GI pathogens

Intestinal pathogen infections cannot be clinically differentiated solely on the basis of medical history, physical exam and/or symptoms. Specific diagnosis requires laboratory evaluation and confirmation. In most laboratories, the general request for stool ova and parasite screening does not include the specialized testing and confirmation provided by the GI Health panel. Asymptomatic, mild symptomatic and overt GI pathogens infections can affect and deter gastrointestinal function, and, if undetected, will lead to chronic illness.

Prevention notes

• Observe strict personal hygiene habits
• Eat cooked food when outside your home
• Wash fresh fruits and vegetables with soap and water
• Avoid drinking potentially contaminated surface water
• Before overseas travel, contact the CDC for tips
• Wash hands after touching pets

Advantages & Benefits of GI testing

• Non-invasive sampling: saliva and stool
• Home collection: no office visit
• Economical
• Comprehensive: detects a broad spectrum of common pathogens and includes digestion efficiency evaluation
• Improved wellness: general GI complaints identified and resolved
• Modular: retesting of one or several abnormal findings is available without repeating the entire panel

*To determine if the GI Panel™ is appropriate for your gastrointestinal concerns, call us today to schedule your consultati confirmation provided by the GI Health panel™.