Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Addressing IBS and Gut Health
Ready to Take Control of Your Health?
If you are experiencing symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and are seeking effective, metabolically directed treatments, contact us online or call (732) 268-7663 for a consultation with Dr. Rothman.
What are the Symptoms of IBS?
The symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) can vary from person to person, but the most common include:
- Abdominal Pain and Cramping: Often associated with bowel movements, this discomfort can range from mild to severe.
- Bloating: A sensation of fullness or swelling in your abdomen, often accompanied by visible distension.
- Constipation: Difficulty in passing stools, with infrequent or hard bowel movements (often referred to as IBS-C).
- Diarrhea: Frequent, loose, or watery stools, often referred to as IBS-D.
- Alternating Constipation and Diarrhea: Many people experience a mix of both, known as IBS-M.
- Gas and Excessive Flatulence: Increased gas production that leads to discomfort
- Mucus in Stools: Clear, white, or yellowish gel-like substance noticed within or coating your stool.
- Urgent Need to Defecate: A sudden, uncontrollable urge to have a bowel movement.
- Feeling of Incomplete Evacuation: The sensation that you haven’t completely emptied your bowels.
- Nausea: Some individuals experience nausea, often related to digestive upset.
Stress, specific foods, or hormonal changes often trigger or worsen these symptoms. Due to the complexity of diagnosing Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), with its overlapping symptoms and potential for comorbid conditions such as food sensitivities, autonomic dysfunction, metabolic imbalances, hormonal imbalance and environmental illness, it is essential to consult a knowledgeable doctor for an accurate diagnosis. IBS can be challenging to manage without addressing the root causes. A holistic, metabolically directed treatment approach can help restore your gut health, alleviate symptoms, and improve your overall well-being.
Our Functional and Metabolic Medicine Approach to IBS
Diagnostic Methods Used:
- Comprehensive evaluation of your dietary habits, environmental exposures, and stress levels
- In-clinic metabolic testing to determine your acid-base balance, anabolic/catabolic, and autonomic nervous system balance.
- Comprehensive Stool tests to identify abnormal bowel flora growth, parasites and other stealth organisms, inflammatory markers, and other factors contributing to your symptoms.
- Blood tests to identify your nutritional deficiencies, thyroid status, hormone levels, inflammatory markers, genetic predispositions, hidden infections and other root causes of your symptoms.
- In some cases, imaging, like CT scans and ultrasound may be used to identify any structural abnormalities contributing to your IBS symptoms.
- Other functional tests like SIBO breath tests, heavy metal testing, and mycotoxin testing.
Potential Treatment Options:
- Lifestyle modifications to enhance your digestive health.
- Personalized dietary modifications to reduce chronic inflammation, autonomic dysfunction, metabolic imbalance, hormonal imbalance, environmental illness, bacterial overgrowth, and nutrient deficiencies.
- Utilization of foods and supplements to normalize your liver, gallbladder, or digestive function
- Foods and supplements to improve your digestion and reduce your inflammation.
- Metabolic therapy
- Identify and address the underlying environmental issues that are stressing your body.
- Probiotics to restore the normal population of your gut flora.
Why Choose Functional and Metabolic Medicine for IBS?
Ready to Take Control of Your Health?
If you are experiencing symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and are seeking effective, metabolically directed treatments, contact us online or call (732) 268-7663 for a consultation with Dr. Rothman.
Meet Dr. Michael Rothman:
Holistic Health and Metabolic
Medicine Expert
Dr. Michael Rothman is a Functional and Metabolic Medicine Specialist with over two decades of holistic practice. Drawing on his personal experience with Crohn’s disease, he is passionate about utilizing metabolically directed functional medicine to address complex health conditions, like IBS. Dr. Rothman’s comprehensive method considers dietary habits, genetic predispositions, and environmental factors to identify and treat the metabolic imbalances at the root of health issues.
Certified by the National Board of Medical Examiners and the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners, he also holds board certifications in Internal Medicine and previously in Emergency Medicine. His unique approach integrates knowledge from nutrition, biochemistry, physiology, and physics, alongside extensive training in environmental illness, medical acupuncture, naturopathy, Reiki, qigong, and oriental martial arts. Patients can expect a thorough, individualized approach aimed at restoring and maintaining lasting well-being.
Frequently Asked Questions
To help manage IBS symptoms, consider dietary modifications such as adopting a healthy (Edibolic) diet, avoiding sugar, toxic seed oils, excessive carbohydrates, staying hydrated and eating healthy fats at each meal. This type of diet reduces intake of toxic oils, helps stabilize your blood sugar and reduces autonomic dysfunction. Make sure that you thoughtfully plan your meals, and eat in a calm, relaxed atmosphere. Regular exercise, stress management techniques, and adequate sleep are also extremely important.
A medical doctor who is well-versed in IBS, like Michael Rothman MD, can guide you in creating a personalized management plan.
While there are some overlapping symptoms, IBS and IBD are different conditions with different causes. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and changes in bowel habits without structural abnormalities. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which includes autoimmune conditions like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, involves chronic inflammation of your gastrointestinal tract that can lead to visible damage in your intestinal lining.
A medical doctor who is knowledgeable and well-versed in both IBD and IBS, like Michael Rothman MD, can uncover and treat the root causes of your condition.