Functional GI Testing
Get Tested
Certain gastrointestinal symptoms may warrant further testing by your health care practitioner. Beyond diagnosing, functional practitioners may also do testing to determine the underlying cause of your symptoms or to avoid recurrence and further damage. Some of the tests that may be suggested are listed below. As always, we recommend working with a practitioner who is familiar with your health history to determine which tests, if any, are right for you.
Food Sensitivity Testing
Identifying food sensitivities through testing may help to address potential culprits leading to inflammation.
Some of the symptoms that may warrant food sensitivity testing include: abdominal distress, pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, gas, reflux, nausea, skin issues, migraines, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and the list goes on.
Genomic Insights
Assessing the genetic predisposition for celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease along with the antibodies to triggers for these conditions, assists in the development of appropriate strategies for people struggling with GI symptoms.
Ruling out/in celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease, is best considered in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), type 1 diabetes, iron deficiency anemia, infertility, unintentional weight loss, and chronic fatigue.
Stool Analysis
A comprehensive stool analysis may be a practical first step in diagnosing a gastrointestinal disorder. It is useful in evaluating digestive competence, microbial overgrowth, infection, and dysbiosis.
Some of the symptoms that may warrant stool analysis include: altered GI immune function, bacterial/fungal overgrowth, chronic dysbiosis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), malabsorption, and maldigestion.
Breath Testing
Breath testing measures gases produced by bacterial fermentation (hydrogen, methane, or CO2).
It is used to assess for small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), fructose malabsorption, lactose maldigestion and malabsorption, and Helicobacter pylori.
Some of the symptoms that may warrant breath testing include: abdominal bloating, abdominal pain/cramping, constipation, gas, fullness, heartburn, loss of appetite, malabsorption, nausea, and fatty stools.