Q I was diagnosed with IBS. Could it actually be SIBO? Does Korean medicine distinguish between and treat the two conditions?
A A significant proportion of IBS patients are known to have concurrent SIBO. By carefully identifying symptom patterns and triggers, a treatment plan considering both can be established.
Detailed Answer
IBS and SIBO overlap in symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation, making them easy to confuse. Research shows SIBO is confirmed in 30–80% of IBS patients, requiring accurate distinction and simultaneous management. If post-meal bloating is particularly severe and there is a reaction to specific carbohydrates, SIBO possibility should be evaluated first.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
In Korean medicine, IBS and SIBO are approached as a functional imbalance of the entire digestive system rather than separate disease names. Treatment addressing both small intestinal motility recovery and intestinal hypersensitivity reduction is conducted to simultaneously improve both conditions.
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