SIBO is the acronym for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. This is a medical condition that can cause a lot of trouble. Its main symptoms are nausea, vomiting, bloating, abdominal pain, cramping, constipation, and diarrhea. The biggest problem with diagnosing this ailment is that neither endoscopy nor colonoscopy can reach the middle part of the small intestine. While surgery can surely grant access to this area, no patient would be happy to undergo such an invasive testing. Luckily, there is an excellent workaround to it, which is the Sibo breath test.
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This test involves breathing into a special device that measures the hydrogen and methane content of your exhaled air. Hydrogen and methane aren't generated by the human body, so their presence in your breathe signals a bacterial growth inside your small intestine. While bacteria play an important role in the digestion of food, the lack of balance may lead to poor absorption of essential nutrients, and therefore to various symptoms such as bloating, gas and abdominal pain.
There are two types of Sibo tests. The first one is called the Lactulose breath test, and it is used to diagnose bacterial overgrowth is the distal end of the small intestine. The second one is the Glucose breath test, and it helps diagnosing bacterial overgrowth in the top section of the small intestine. The difference between the two variants is the part of the small intestine where the absorption of the active substance occurs. Glucose is absorbed within the first part of the small intestine. Lactulose should pass through unchanged, as humans can't digest it. Bacteria, on the contrary, can digest lactulose, the byproducts of this process being hydrogen and methane.
The symptoms of SIBO are similar to the ones of IBS, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This is why many gastroenterology specialists recommend their patients to take this test, in order to either diagnose or rule out SIBO before proceeding to further IBS investigations.
The biggest advantage of this test is that it is painless and non-invasive. Many patients are afraid of colonoscopy or endoscopy, as these tests involve quite a significant discomfort. In addition, none of them is fully relevant, as they can't provide an image of the middle part of the small intestine.
You may need to take this test if you suffer from abdominal pain, cramps, bloating, and gas, or of you feel nauseous after most of your meals. However, you should probably start by scheduling an appointment with your doctor, as these symptoms are common to many diseases. You should never attempt to self-diagnose, as you might misinterpret test results and symptoms. Moreover, you won't be able to have the lactulose test without a medical prescription. The good news is that you don't need to visit a hospital to take the breathing test. All you need is to buy a special kit from one of the authorized labs in your area. Thanks to these kits, you'll be able to perform the test at home. Nonetheless, you'll still need to go to your doctor to discuss and interpret the results.
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This test involves breathing into a special device that measures the hydrogen and methane content of your exhaled air. Hydrogen and methane aren't generated by the human body, so their presence in your breathe signals a bacterial growth inside your small intestine. While bacteria play an important role in the digestion of food, the lack of balance may lead to poor absorption of essential nutrients, and therefore to various symptoms such as bloating, gas and abdominal pain.
There are two types of Sibo tests. The first one is called the Lactulose breath test, and it is used to diagnose bacterial overgrowth is the distal end of the small intestine. The second one is the Glucose breath test, and it helps diagnosing bacterial overgrowth in the top section of the small intestine. The difference between the two variants is the part of the small intestine where the absorption of the active substance occurs. Glucose is absorbed within the first part of the small intestine. Lactulose should pass through unchanged, as humans can't digest it. Bacteria, on the contrary, can digest lactulose, the byproducts of this process being hydrogen and methane.
The symptoms of SIBO are similar to the ones of IBS, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This is why many gastroenterology specialists recommend their patients to take this test, in order to either diagnose or rule out SIBO before proceeding to further IBS investigations.
The biggest advantage of this test is that it is painless and non-invasive. Many patients are afraid of colonoscopy or endoscopy, as these tests involve quite a significant discomfort. In addition, none of them is fully relevant, as they can't provide an image of the middle part of the small intestine.
You may need to take this test if you suffer from abdominal pain, cramps, bloating, and gas, or of you feel nauseous after most of your meals. However, you should probably start by scheduling an appointment with your doctor, as these symptoms are common to many diseases. You should never attempt to self-diagnose, as you might misinterpret test results and symptoms. Moreover, you won't be able to have the lactulose test without a medical prescription. The good news is that you don't need to visit a hospital to take the breathing test. All you need is to buy a special kit from one of the authorized labs in your area. Thanks to these kits, you'll be able to perform the test at home. Nonetheless, you'll still need to go to your doctor to discuss and interpret the results.