CHRONIC DIARRHEA/CONSTIPATION
Everyone has occasional bouts with constipation or diarrhea. Perhaps you weren’t hydrating enough or you overindulged and ate too much of a rich food you don't normally consume. However, chronic constipation(not having at least one bowel movement per day) or chronic diarrhea(loose and frequent bowel movements) are a direct sign something is wrong in your digestive tract.
Chronic constipation or diarrhea can be one symptom of SIBO. SIBO can either be hydrogen dominant(resulting in diarrhea) or methane dominant(resulting in constipation), or a combination of the two(resulting in fluctuations between constipation and diarrhea), only by testing can it be determined if you have SIBO and then which type of SIBO you are experiencing.
IBS can also share similar symptoms and patients with IBS also frequently test positive for SIBO.
Whichever the case, either chronic constipation or diarrhea, it has a profound affect on a patient’s lifestyle and can limit them from doing the things they love to do. Functional Medicine will explore the causes of your chronic constipation and/or diarrhea and devise a plan to treat the root of the problem.