Lasting Relief From Gas, Bloating & IBS Without Simply Living With Digestive Symptoms
Gas, bloating, abdominal discomfort, constipation, and diarrhea can make everyday life frustrating and unpredictable. For some people, symptoms occur occasionally after certain meals. For others, they happen regularly and can interfere with work, exercise, sleep, travel, and social activities.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder that can cause recurring abdominal pain along with changes in bowel habits. Gas and bloating are also common digestive symptoms and may occur with IBS or a variety of other gastrointestinal conditions.
At Wild Horse Health, our General Medicine Department takes a comprehensive approach to digestive symptoms. We look at your symptoms, bowel patterns, diet, medications, lifestyle, and medical history to determine potential contributing factors and identify when additional testing or specialist evaluation is appropriate.
Gas & Bloating
Gas occurs naturally as part of digestion. It can result from swallowed air or from bacteria breaking down carbohydrates in the large intestine.
Bloating is the sensation of fullness, pressure, or swelling in the abdomen. Some people experience visible abdominal distention, while others primarily feel uncomfortable or unusually full.
Occasional gas and bloating are normal. Persistent or severe symptoms, however, may warrant evaluation.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
IBS is a disorder of gut-brain interaction characterized by recurrent abdominal pain associated with changes in bowel habits.
IBS can involve:
IBS does not cause visible damage to the digestive tract, but the symptoms can significantly affect quality of life.
Common Symptoms
Symptoms can fluctuate over time. Some people notice that symptoms are related to specific foods, stress, illness, travel, or changes in routine.
Gas and bloating are common, but certain symptoms should not automatically be attributed to IBS.
Seek prompt medical evaluation for:
Severe abdominal pain, significant abdominal distention, persistent vomiting, or other rapidly worsening symptoms may require urgent evaluation.
Gas and bloating can have many potential causes.
Dietary Factors
Certain carbohydrates are more likely to be fermented by bacteria in the digestive tract and can increase gas production.
Common contributors can include:
Swallowing excess air can increase gas and abdominal discomfort.
This may occur with:
Constipation
When stool moves slowly through the digestive tract, gas can become more difficult to pass and abdominal bloating may increase. Constipation may also contribute to abdominal discomfort and changes in appetite.
Food Intolerances
Some people have difficulty digesting or absorbing particular foods.
Examples include:
Food intolerance is different from a true food allergy and should be evaluated appropriately.
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth
Changes in the amount or type of bacteria in the small intestine can contribute to symptoms such as bloating, abdominal discomfort, and changes in bowel habits in some people. Testing and treatment should be based on the individual’s symptoms and clinical situation rather than assuming that bacterial overgrowth is the cause of every case of bloating.
The exact cause of IBS is not completely understood. IBS is considered a disorder of gut-brain interaction, meaning that communication between the digestive tract and nervous system can influence how the gastrointestinal tract functions and how sensations are perceived.
Potential contributing factors include:
IBS can also develop after an episode of gastrointestinal infection, a condition sometimes referred to as post-infectious IBS.
Risk Factors
The likelihood of experiencing IBS may be influenced by:
Treatment for digestive symptoms should be individualized. There is no single diet, supplement, or treatment that works for everyone.
Depending on your symptoms and diagnosis, treatment may include:
Our goal is not simply to tell you what foods to avoid. We want to understand why your symptoms are occurring and develop a sustainable approach to managing them.
IBS is primarily a clinical diagnosis based on symptoms and their pattern. There is no single blood test that confirms IBS. Our evaluation focuses on determining whether your symptoms fit an IBS pattern while also looking for signs that another condition may be responsible.
Medical History
Physical Examination
Your evaluation may include:
Laboratory Testing
Testing is not necessary for every person with IBS. When clinically appropriate, testing may help identify other causes of gastrointestinal symptoms.
Depending on your presentation, testing may include evaluation for:
Additional stool testing may be considered when there is concern for infection, inflammation, or another gastrointestinal disorder.
Additional Testing
Depending on your symptoms and risk factors, additional evaluation may include:
Testing is selected based on your individual presentation rather than ordering extensive testing automatically.
Digestive symptoms can be frustrating especially when you don’t know what foods you can eat, when you’ll need a bathroom, or why your stomach seems unpredictable.
During your visit, we take the time to understand your symptoms and identify patterns that may be contributing to them.
Your evaluation may include:
Our goal is to help you move from managing symptoms day-to-day to understanding your digestive health.
IBS can be classified based on the predominant type of bowel pattern.
IBS With Constipation (IBS-C)
People with IBS-C experience abdominal pain and bloating along with predominantly hard or infrequent stools.
IBS With Diarrhea (IBS-D)
IBS-D is characterized by abdominal pain accompanied by predominantly loose or watery stools.
Mixed IBS (IBS-M)
Some people experience both constipation and diarrhea, with their bowel pattern changing over time.
Identifying your predominant pattern helps guide treatment.
Some gas and bloating are normal parts of digestion. Persistent, severe, or progressively worsening symptoms should be evaluated to determine whether an underlying digestive condition is contributing.
Beans, certain fruits and vegetables, dairy products in people with lactose intolerance, artificial sweeteners, and carbonated beverages can increase gas in some people. Individual triggers vary significantly.
FODMAPs are a group of short-chain carbohydrates that can be poorly absorbed in the small intestine and fermented by gut bacteria. A low-FODMAP diet temporarily reduces these carbohydrates and may improve symptoms in some people with IBS.
A low-FODMAP diet is generally intended as a structured process rather than a permanent highly restrictive diet. Foods are gradually reintroduced to identify individual tolerance.
Stress does not mean that IBS symptoms are “all in your head.” The digestive tract and nervous system communicate continuously through the gut-brain axis. Stress and emotional factors can influence intestinal movement, sensitivity, and symptom severity in people with IBS.
There is currently no single cure for IBS. However, many people can achieve substantial improvement through individualized dietary changes, lifestyle modifications, medications, and other appropriate treatments.
IBS does not typically cause the type of structural damage seen with conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease. However, persistent gastrointestinal symptoms should still be evaluated when there are warning signs or an atypical presentation.
No. IBS and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are different conditions.
IBD includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and can cause inflammation and structural damage within the digestive tract. IBS does not typically cause this type of intestinal inflammation.
Yes. Constipation can contribute to abdominal pressure, bloating, discomfort, and difficulty passing gas.
Not necessarily. Food allergies and food intolerances are different conditions, and broad food allergy testing is not appropriate for every person with digestive symptoms. Testing should be based on your specific symptoms and medical history.
Specialist evaluation may be appropriate when symptoms are severe, persistent, atypical, associated with warning signs, or do not improve with appropriate initial management.
Wild Horse Health is a cash-pay clinic. We do not bill insurance directly, but:
If you’re dealing with persistent gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or abdominal discomfort, our General Medicine Department can help determine whether IBS or another digestive condition may be contributing to your symptoms.
We take the time to understand your symptoms, identify patterns, and develop an individualized plan to help you feel more comfortable and confident in your digestive health.
