Most people have occasional gut troubles, such as gas, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. But if you're experiencing gut problems on a regular basis, you may be living with some kind of dysfunctional gut disorder.
Gut dysfunction isn't just a problem for your health. It can also interfere with your quality of life, causing you to miss work or school, avoid social activities, and feel downright crummy. It's hard to enjoy life when you're suffering from gastrointestinal symptoms.
If you're dealing with gut issues, we can help. At Living Waters Regenerative Medicine Center in Gulf Breeze, Florida, primary care physician Deborah D. Viglione, MD, and her team provide our patients with the best in integrative care treatment for gut health. We get to the root of what’s causing your dysfunctional gut problems and address the causes in a holistic way.
We start by educating you about the causes of gastrointestinal issues. Here are a few of the reasons people develop gut troubles.
In a healthy body, your gut digests the foods you eat, effectively absorbing nutrients and efficiently eliminating wastes. But if your gut isn't working optimally, your body does a poor job of breaking down foods.
When digestion doesn't work properly, you may experience a range of symptoms, including gas, cramping, and bloating. Your stool may be too loose (diarrhea) or too dry (constipation).
Your gastrointestinal system provides a home to trillions of beneficial microorganisms that help digest food. These microbes play a crucial role in gut health and overall health. If your gut microbiome is out of balance, it can contribute to gut dysfunction.
Inflammation is another cause of gut dysfunction. Chronic inflammation has been linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which occurs when your body mounts an inflammatory response against your gut. Inflammation plays a part in Crohn's disease and colitis, which are two types of IBD.
A condition known as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is another common cause of gut dysfunction. People with IBS may experience GI symptoms such as diarrhea and constipation — or both. IBS symptoms may be triggered by stress, certain foods, anxiety, or infection. It can occur more often in people with unhealthy gut microbiomes.
The type of treatment approach that is best to address your gut dysfunction varies based on what's causing your symptoms. Dr. Viglione specializes in determining what strategies can resolve your gut issues.
In many cases, bringing your microbiome back into balance can help restore proper function in the gut. Some ways to do that include:
Other important strategies include exercising regularly and reducing your stress.
If you’re experiencing gut problems, Dr. Viglione and her team invite you to come in for a full gut evaluation. Once we identify what's causing your symptoms, Dr. Viglione creates a personalized treatment plan to address the cause. Your plan may include nutrition therapy, supplements, medication, and other treatments to bring your gut back into balance.
Don't put up with dysfunctional gut symptoms any longer. To schedule a gut health consultation, call our office at 850-290-4806.
