Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is well-treated using naturopathic medicine.
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) occurs when there is an abnormal increase in the overall bacterial population in the small intestine, an area of the digestive tract typically low in bacteria.
It may result when some cause (e.g., gastric surgery, intestinal diverticulosis, radiation enteritis, scleroderma) slows the passage of food and waste products in the digestive tract. Stagnant food in the small intestine becomes a breeding ground for bacteria
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) can lead to nutritional deficiencies, and associated health conditions (e.g., osteoporosis, kidney stones).
Seek professional healthcare if you experience persistent diarrhea; rapid, unintentional weight loss; or abdominal pain lasting more than a few days.
Symptoms of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
Possible symptoms of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) include:
- Abdominal bloating
- Abdominal pain
- Feeling of fullness after eating
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Malnutrition
- Unintentional weight loss
Treatment of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) at Toronto Centre for Naturopathic Medicine
At Toronto Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, the goal of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) treatment is to “rebalance” the bacterial population of the small intestine, and correct underlying health conditions that may have lead to the small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) to prevent recurrence.
Conventional treatment for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is antibiotic medications. These treatments may have short- or long-term side effects.
For this reason, you may choose to try natural treatment to possibly avoid use of conventional medications, or together with conventional medications in order to decrease dosages of conventional medications required to manage your small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) symptoms.
Naturopathic treatment of any chronic health concern must be recognized as a process that involves:
- Identifying specific treatment goals
- Development by your naturopathic doctor, of a thorough understanding of all factors affecting your health, including physical, psychological, emotional and lifestyle factors
- Development of a comprehensive treatment plan
- Implementation and maintenance of that plan through periodic monitoring and adjustment
At Toronto Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, a typical approach to treating small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) may be to:
- Identify and address underlying factors in your lifestyle (e.g., poor diet, poor stress management) or general health (e.g., Crohn’s disease, diabetes mellitus) that may be contributing to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
- Reduction of anaerobic bacteria populations using anti-microbial herbal (phyto) medicines
- Increase “good” bacteria populations using nutritional supplements
- Prevention of recurrence by use of herbal (phyto) medicines and nutritional counseling
Where appropriate, a number of therapeutic options are available, to be used alone, or more often in a complementary fashion, including:
- Nutritional counseling
- Nutritional supplements
- Metabolic detoxification protocols
- Herbal (phyto) medicines
- Acupuncture
- Homeopathy
- Bowen Therapy
- Hydrotherapy
- Exercise prescription
- Relaxation (meditation) training
- Lifestyle medicine and counseling
Treatments provided by naturopathic doctors are covered by most extended healthcare plans.