GERD - and it isn’t about comforting Aunt Geordie coming for a visit. By Celeste Cooper

Boy, what a day to revisit GERD, right? The day after Thanksgiving can translate into "need to know" for those who suffer from Gastro-Esophageal-Reflux-Disease. 

What is GERD?

Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) becomes GERD when symptoms are consistently present for more than a couple of times a week, you should be assessed by a physician. The specialist in this field is called a gastroenterologist or the “GI doc.”

What happens?

We have two tube-like structures that make their way through our neck. The passageway of food from the mouth to the stomach is a tube-like structure called the esophagus which is located behind the second structure, the trachea or breathing tube. When there is a problem with the esophagus, we experience symptoms of heartburn, sour taste, burning, soreness or hoarseness in the throat, nausea, regurgitation, problems swallowing, and sometimes even severe chest pain, but never assume your pain is GERD until you have been properly diagnosed with a test called an EGD (esophagogastroduodenoscopy), and heart problems have been ruled out. The symptoms of GERD and other problems such as esophageal spasm and hiatal hernia can mimic heart pain. Always err on the side of caution.

“Reflux” of stomach acid occurs because the gate (sphincter) at the lower end of the esophagus fails. Normally, this lower gate (LES) relaxes to let food pass into the stomach where special acids continue the digestive process.  When the gate/sphincter, which is normally a tight muscle, becomes floppy or opens for no reason, acid and/or food regurgitate back into the esophagus and can make it all the way back to the mouth. This can cause permanent damage, because those acids belong in the stomach and can cause erosion when it strays from its home, the stomach. When GERD is present, unlike pleasant and nurturing Aunt Geordie, it is no fun. I imagine right now you at least have a roll of antacids in your purse or pocket.

On Sharecare.com (my other home), Dr Mehmet Oz has a short demonstrative video that shows you exactly what happened in GERD. You can watch it here.

Why does the sphincter stop working?

Sphincter dysfunction can be the result of heredity, life-style choices, or myofascial pain syndrome. Some patients are more susceptible to this, such as those with connective tissue disorder, diseases that cause restriction of the esophagus, hypermobility syndromes causing laxity, certain neurological conditions, and patients with muscle dysfunction. 

What should we avoid?

We can only focus on what we can change, such as healthier lifestyle choices that affect or worsen GERD. We should not overeat; limit acid forming foods (fried, greasy, spicy or inflammation producing), drinks (such as caffeine and carbonated beverages) and alcohol. We should learn more about what supplements and medications might aggravate GERD; avoid smoking; and limit exercise that creates gravitational reflux, such as jumping, aggressive jogging or Yoga poses, such as the downward facing dog.  

What can we do?

Sleeping with your upper body at a slight angle (head higher than your waist) can help prevent acid reflux by gravitational flow. (Try putting four inch blocks under the head of your bed frame.) Learn about and use an anti-inflammatory diet, eat small frequent meals, and exercise regularly by walking or doing T’ai Chi to improve digestions. There are also supplements, such as ginger and medications that can help treat GERD, so if you have symptoms, discuss them with your doctor.

If you have myofascial pain syndrome, you could be at an increased risk of having esophageal problems. According to Travell and Simons knotted up pieces of muscle fiber, called myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) can cause or contribute to GERD. Remember the sphincter is made of muscle and abdominal and chest muscles completely surround the digestive system.  Trigger points in the area can also mimic symptoms of costochondritis (chest wall pain) and cause esophageal spasm which is diagnosed by symptoms and a test called an esophageal manometry. So, be sure to feel around your chest and abdomen for tender areas and see if you have unusual, painful lumps. 

November is awareness month for Gastro-Esophageal-Reflux-Disease

Excerpt:Twisting of the upper body, slumping over a keyboard, not using proper body mechanics when doing activities, walking or sleeping; lifting too much weight, excessive reaching, a cold or cough, trauma, surgery, improper breathing techniques (chest or shallow breathing), overuse of unconditioned muscles, carrying a baby, backpack, or heavy purse, any activity that causes heavy breathing (exercise or anxiety), arm movement (such as swimming, tennis, racquet ball, golf, weight lifting, or bowling when you are not used to it), can be aggravating factors for the development of TrPs in the chest wall. Metabolic disorders and other conditions such as CFS and GWS can also make TrPs more difficult to treat.

Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection by Celeste Cooper, RN and Jeff Miller, PhD Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and all major online retail stores.

(Signature line appended October 2018)

In healing,

Celeste Cooper, RN / Author, Freelancer, Advocate

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

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Learn more about Celeste’s books here. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others. 

Editorial Review by Jean Hall at Readers Favorites just in for SUMMER DEVOTIONS of the Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain Series by Celeste Cooper, RN and Jeff Miller, PhD

Readers Favorite Book Review

Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: 

Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain

SUMMER DEVOTIONS

by Jean Hall, here.

Chronic pain can drag you down but there are ways to lift yourself up. Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain by Celeste Cooper, RN, offers sublime encouragement and innovative tips for healing. Ninety-two daily readings have a beautiful or peaceful photograph to accompany a famous quote or words of wisdom. This book is called Summer Devotions which is a season for growth in nature and, hopefully, in your life and health.

There may be deep meaning in the experience of chronic pain which goes beyond invisible and nagging symptoms. There is a Chinese proverb which says, "The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials." The hidden gem of value within ourselves can be understood by practicing meditation, breathing deeply, or focusing on prayer. Topics for Summer Devotions include: Ten tips for overcoming depression, focusing on outcomes instead of obstacles, suggestions for visualization, finding your inner strength, better nutrition, and spirituality.

Registered nurse Celeste Cooper and her co-author psychologist Jeff Miller, PhD, don't minimize the experience of chronic pain and they show many ways to find balance in your life and health. The quotes and coping methods have both Eastern and Western sources. The author clearly speaks from her own personal experience and this gives the text credibility and heart. Each day's devotion has just enough information to widen your horizons without getting bogged down. Celeste Cooper urges the reader to cope and to find meaning in difficult circumstances.

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The reviewer for Reader's Favorite, Jean Hall, did an excellent job in capturing the essence of what we offer our readers who are struggling to manage and cope with chronic pain. It is obvious that her review was based on her experiences with the information, tools and tips we wish all of our readers to explore.

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All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

Celeste Cooper is a retired RN, educator, fibromyalgia patient, and lead author of the Broken Body Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See Saw of Chronic Pain devotional series (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD), and Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD) She is a fibromyalgia expert for Dr. Oz, et al., at Sharecare.com, here, and she advocates for all chronic pain patients as a participant in the Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy, here. You can read more educational information and about her books on her website, http://TheseThree.com

Reviews, availability, and information on Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection

Review from Goodreads, here. Tami Says:

Based upon my own personal experiences, I know that getting that Fibromyalgia and/or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome diagnosis is difficult. Saying that you hurt all over for no particular reason, that you just can’t seem to get out of bed each morning, that you could sleep for days and still be tired, or that you feel like you are thinking through several layers of cotton just tends to confuse most doctors. Even though there is nothing new about these conditions and there are a growing number of individuals suffering from them, few doctors know much about Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or Myofascial Pain. Diagnosis, even if your doctor believes you, can take months or even years. Then, once diagnosed, there is no set treatment options leaving us with the primary responsibility of finding options that ease our suffering. 

Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Pain is the book that I wish I could have been given when I started this journey. I highly recommend it to anyone who thinks they might have Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or Myofascial Pain. This multifunctional book will educate you while reminding you that you are not alone. 

Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Pain begins by explaining the similarities and differences between the three conditions. Many doctors and most of the literature tend to lump these together because the symptoms are very similar. Nonetheless, the root cause may not necessarily be the same which definitely suggests different treatment strategies. 

Next, the book tells us how to talk to our doctor. How to explain our symptoms: their location, the intensity and the duration, knowing our rights and when to find another doctor. This is important as after repeated testing and specialist visits, we all start to wonder if the pain is in our head. However, it is at this point that we need to stand up for ourselves and find appropriate healthcare specialists.

The final sections are for after the diagnosis. Things like finding support, educating yourself, and figuring out what treatment options might be useful to you. There are also some invaluable tips on living, getting through your day, reworking relationships, and understanding the emotional aspects of these conditions.

More about the book can be found here.  

Available at:

• Inner Traditions, Bear and Company, (Publisher, imprint Healing Arts Press) here.
• Amazon.com, here. 
•    Kindle, here.
• Barnes and Noble, here.
•    Nook Book, here. 
• Booktopia, here.
• Google Books, here.
• Simon and Schuster, here.
• Amazon UK, here.
• Amazon Canada, here.
• Amazon India (free shipping), here.
• Australian Amazon Associate (note: you will need to type in the book title), here.
• Alibris Books, here.
• ebay, here. 
• Abe Books, here.
• Kobo ebooks, here.

For many diseases in our world, we are finally learning the treatments using only allopathic or only homeopathic remedies are seldom the best approach in and of themselves. Much of the confusion has come from the polarized arguments of both sides attempting to defend their points of view, but like most truths the answers are often found in the middle ground, hence “integrative medicine.” I found this book, at 448 pages, to be very comprehensive and I highly recommend it for anyone searching for a balanced approach for the treatment of these diseases.

~Dhara Lemos, Lotus Guide

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Celeste Cooper is a retired RN, educator, fibromyalgia patient, and lead author of the Broken Body Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See Saw of Chronic Pain devotional series (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD), and Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD) She is a fibromyalgia expert for Dr. Oz, et al., at Sharecare.com, here, and she advocates for all chronic pain patients as a participant in the Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy, here. You can read more educational information and about her books on her website, http://TheseThree.com

Out with the Old in with the New: Not so much. Diagnosing Fibromyalgia

There has been a great deal of criticism regarding the 2010 Preliminary Proposed Criteria for Fibromyalgia, here, and The Modification of the American College of Rheumatology, here. Besides my own concerns reported on in a blog titled A Comprehensive Review on the Proposed and Modified Diagnostics for Fibromyalgia, here, you might be interested in seeing what other clinicians an researchers have to say:

 

• Enhancing the Diagnosis and Assessment of Fibromyalgia by Lesley M. Arnold, MD, here.
• A report and opinion on the preliminary guidelines for the  clinical diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia by Robert Bennett, MD, here.
• Drs Bennett & Clauw Debate Abandonment of Tender Point Test in Revised FM Diagnostic Criteria, here.
• The Scientific Basis for Understanding Pain in Fibromyalgia by Robert Bennett MD, FRCP, here. 

 

In July of 2012, the SSA ruled to include Fibromyalgia in the listing of impairments, here. As an RN, this expert  was thrilled that the SSA has the good sense to use the 1990 criteria and require a physical exam, something the authors of the new criteria say is not necessary. As always, functional impairment must be documented using tools such the Residual Functional Capacity Questionnaire by Dr. Robert Bennett. The new diagnostic criteria, proposed but in use by some, falls short of assessing patients for clinical trials and in helping them obtain disability benefits. You can read more about pain and disability here. 

 

Many study results are skewed because common comorbid conditions are not ruled out, the number one culprit is myofascial pain syndrome (MPS), which is known as the great imitator. Research suggests it is one of the main peripheral pain generators to the centralization (amplification) of pain in fibromyalgia. It is also prevalent in other overlapping conditions, such as bruxism, restless leg syndrome, migraine, bladder and bowel dysfunction, chronic fatigue syndrome, TMJ and piriformis syndrome. The presence of MPS can also explain some of the unexplained symptoms of swelling and neuropathy. This is exactly the type of comment I submitted to the FDA on the upcoming “Public Meeting on Fibromyalgia Patient-Focused Drug Development” on December 10, 2013, here. 

 

There is no doubt that fibromyalgia may play a role in neuro, endocrine, and immune function because of the upset in the command center of the brain and possibly a broken mechanism in the brain for interpreting pain messages, but to get clear untainted research, we need good diagnostic criteria, which will only come about when all these other things are considered and leaving out a physical exam is no way to go about it.

 

Is it any wonder we seem to be chasing the monkey around the barrel?

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All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

Celeste Cooper is a retired RN, educator, fibromyalgia patient, and lead author of the Broken Body Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See Saw of Chronic Pain devotional series (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD), and Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD) She is a fibromyalgia expert for Dr. Oz, et al., at Sharecare.com, here, and she advocates for all chronic pain patients as a participant in the Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy, here. You can read more educational information and about her books on her website, http://TheseThree.com

Did you know? – Smoothies, health, and you by Celeste Cooper

When dealing with chronic pain issues, it is sometimes difficult to prepare meals, but here is a healthy breakfast or snack solution if you have a blender.

Ingredients:

Use fresh and/or frozen fruits and vegetables on hand. Keep in mind that for some an anti-inflammatory choice is a smart selection, particularly if you are subject to irritable bladder, GERD or other digestion problems, immune deficiencies or conditions that create inflammation.

Keep it balanced:

Protein powder (or if you are gluten intolerant, use the protein substitute of your choice.

Special considerations:

Apples are considered to be a low acidic fruit in their raw form. They are abundant in pectin, a natural substance that soothes the stomach and absorbs acid, so they are actually creating an alkaline environment when digested.  They are a great source of vitamin C, and have phosphorous, iron, antioxidants and flavanoids, and they are high in fiber. 

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

Because apples are high in fiber, they are also a good choice for those of us who take medications that cause constipation or experience alternating constipative/diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome.

Tip! The peeling of an apple is important too, but it is also a great source of accumulated pesticides. Therefore, wash your apple (or other fruits and vegetables with edible peelings) by sprinkling on some baking soda, wet your hands and massage the apple, then rinse thoroughly.

Want to know more about flavanoids?  They are discussed in “Summer Devotions” and nutrition tracking is discussed in the “Fall Devotions” of Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain. Many tracking tools are included in Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Pain: the Mind-Body Connection. You can read more “About the Books” at http://TheseThree.com

Did you know?

Did you know that you can freeze a whole banana and use it later? Yes, it is true, and you can cut off what you need and easily remove the peeling. Not only do they add flavor, a banana also adds fiber, protein, vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium, manganese, magnesium, folate, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin A, and iron. There is a reason they are considered as a baby’s first food.

Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, kale, red (my personal favorite) and green romaine lettuce, are packed with fiber and are a great source of vitamins and minerals.

The more colorful the better, because bright colors mean they are loaded with antioxidants, which fight cellular oxidative stress apparent in both fibromyalgia and CFS/ME.

Carrots are known as the eye health veggie. Raw carrots are loaded with fiber and a great source of thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, Folate, manganese, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K and potassium.

Tip! Cleaning vegetables with a weak vinegar solution will help fight any lingering bacteria.

If you have left over colorful bell peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, etc., throw those in too. Any colorful fruit or vegetable that your body tolerates is a good choice.

*If you are sticking to a low acid forming diet, check to see if ingredients are “acid forming” foods. They can be acidic, but that does not mean they create an acidic environment in your body.  This topic is outside the source of this particular blog. 

I have found by using fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables it makes the smoothie like drinking a nutritious shake. Add water, milk, almond milk, soy milk, whichever you prefer, for the consistency you like and enjoy vitamins the old fashion way with a modern twist!

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All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

Celeste Cooper is a retired RN, educator, fibromyalgia patient, and lead author of the Broken Body Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See Saw of Chronic Pain devotional series (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD), and Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD) She is a fibromyalgia expert for Dr. Oz, et al., at Sharecare.com, here, and she advocates for all chronic pain patients as a participant in the Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy, here. You can read more educational information and about her books on her website, http://TheseThree.com

Caricature Contest Winner!

We have a winner for the chronic pain self drawing contest!

Congratulations go to 

DRUM ROLL 

Jen Jasper

Jen will have her drawing published in Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain, Winter Devotions due out the first part of December, and she will get a signed copy of the book.

Thank you to everyone who participated, those who shared a piece of themselves with me and with others, and to all those who took the time vote. The support we give one another is necessary for each of us to battle the consequences of chronic pain.

“You never know what's around the corner. It could be everything. Or it could be nothing. 

You keep putting one foot in front of the other, 

and then one day you look back and you've climbed a mountain.” 

― Tom Hiddleston

In healing and hope, Celeste

You can read more about the two books already published in the series here.

Celeste Cooper's Interview with Dr Wangen, IBS specialist

It is the opinion of this interviewer, Celeste Cooper, RN, that irritable bowel syndrome is a comorbid condition to many immune disorders. In my interview with Dr. Wangen, I found what he had to say very interesting, and I think you will too.

Dr. Stephen Wangen, ND and the IBS Treatment Center have a mission to provide the best care possible for irritable bowel syndrome. He says, “You not only look at symptoms, you have to look for the cause of the problem and, most drugs are only designed to treat symptoms.”

So Dr. Wangen:

How do you determine need?

Anyone suffering from a digestive problem needs to seek help from someone who is focused on solving IBS. Digestive problems should not be unpredictable. In fact, they shouldn't happen at all except on rare occasions.

Can you share a few of the causes you have found in IBS?

There are so many causes. One of the advantages of specializing in this area is the ability to sort through those and determine which are relevant for each patient. The digestive tract is a fascinating ecosystem that contains 100 trillion bacteria and a majority of our immune system. The health of this environment plays a role in the development of food intolerances, food allergies, and food sensitivities, all of which must be assessed. It also is impacted by everything we ingest, and it has the potential to be affected by yeast overgrowth (Candida), parasites, and even stress.  All of these play a role in leaky gut syndrome, which is another aspect of digestive health. I have seen patients with food allergies that they never even imagined possible, such as to cane sugar, and people with yeast or parasites that had been completely missed. But most patients have several factors negatively affecting their digestion all at the same time. That is why it is often challenging to figure out by yourself.

Why did you decide to start a center based solely on treatment of IBS?

I once suffered from IBS. When I saw doctors, they had no idea why I had my symptoms. They made guesses and nothing helped. I was told that it was stress and labeled it as IBS. That didn't leave me with any more knowledge than when I first started. I already knew that my bowel irritated me. As I began to see patients, I became more focused on finding the cause of digestive problems, and then I became more successful at helping patients. Ironically, it usually isn’t stress that causes the problem, but IBS that causes the stress!

How many patients do you see with IBS?

I've seen around 4,000 IBS patients.

What is your most difficult type of IBS to treat?

There are many different types of IBS, but they all involve one or more of the following symptoms: diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, gas, or bloating. I can't say that one is more complicated than the other. The symptoms only tell me that something is wrong.

As a naturopathic doctor, do you use integrative therapies such as, manual therapies, acupuncture, trigger point therapies, meditation, or nutritional changes?

My goal has always been to solve IBS, not adhere to a medical philosophy. All of the things that you mentioned have value, sometimes even prescription medications. However, all of these treatment modalities are a lot more effective when used in the right ways for right person by assessing each patient individually.

At the IBS Treatment Center, we focus on trying to find the cause of the problem. There are many assessment tools including unique labs for testing the environment of the bowel and its effect on the body. They are not all created equal. We test the labs, use different labs in different situations, and we apply various treatments based on what works best for each individual.

Can you tell us a bit more about what you are looking for with lab results?

Lab results help us develop our priorities. A good lab will properly identify the correct food intolerance, for example. And a highly specialized parasite lab will find parasites that other labs miss. However, even lab work has its limitations. Many aspects of what we do have come from years of clinical experience. Sometimes experience and listening to your patient is more valuable than lab work. We combine both to get the best results possible.

What can the patient expect as an active participant in the treatment protocol?

Anyone who thinks that health can be handed to you from someone else is gravely mistaken. Patients often need to make dietary changes, but these are targeted changes based on each patient’s lab results. If patients are willing to participate in their plan, they have a very good chance of getting better.

Do you consider gluten to be an irritant to the bowel and do you feel this is true for ALL IBS patients?

Gluten intolerance is just one of many possible irritants involved in IBS.  It may or may not be a factor for an individual. Determination is based on what we find with the patient’s lab results.

An anti-inflammatory diet is suggested for arthritis and autoimmune disorders. What are your thoughts on suggesting it for IBS patients?

Inflammation is produced by the immune system and the immune system must be triggered to turn it on. Different foods will turn on inflammation in different people. A successful anti-inflammatory diet is about identifying the specific triggers in each individual. There is no one size fits all anti-inflammatory diet, but there is an anti-inflammatory diet for each patient.

In general, what is the easiest to overcome and what is the most difficult? (ie. infrequent attacks vs IBS and bowel disease).

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which is very different from IBS, is often the most difficult, but even then we have good success.

You don’t feel patients with IBS and bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease or diverticulosis have more difficulty controlling incontinence or increased bowel motility?

All of these diagnoses -- IBS, Crohn's disease, and even diverticulosis, include a wide spectrum when it comes to the severity of the symptoms that can be experienced. Even though each diagnosis is different with regard to the underlying damage that has occurred, some people have relatively mild symptoms, and others are in the hospital. This is even true for IBS. Therefore, I don't like to underestimate one person's problems just because they don't have a diagnosis that the medical community considers as serious as another.  I try not to judge my patients or predetermine who can get better. Everyone should have hope that they can heal, because they usually can. 

How long does it take for your protocol to work?

Every patient has different components that we are treating, so it varies. Healing is like putting together a puzzle. There is usually more than one piece to the puzzle, and every puzzle is different. In general we should be seeing improvement within about a month after implementing treatment and continuing over the next several weeks. Some patients heal quickly, and others take longer, but the goal is to get them moving in the right direction and then keep them on that path.

I understand that treatment is individualized, but what are your general thoughts on probiotics?

The good bacteria in your digestive ecosystem are critical to digestive health. But not everyone needs probiotics, and probiotics are certainly not all created equal. I like to assess the bacterial environment before I even recommend probiotics, because there are some people who feel worse when they take probiotics and others who are just wasting money taking them. However, when I do recommend probiotics I usually use a full spectrum probiotic that contains as many different species as possible.

What can the patients, who are proactive in their role, hope to achieve? 

Patients should expect a significant improvement in their health. I think that people often let the medical system off the hook too easily. If you take your car into the mechanic and they tell you that they can't fix it, then you find someone who can.  Our goal is to help people get better. Sometimes the most difficult aspect is getting the patient to believe that improvement is possible. If every other highly respected expert is telling you that there is nothing that you can do, then you start to believe it. Unfortunately we're not perfect, but we have a great deal more to offer than most people are getting elsewhere. It's what makes my job so rewarding!

About Dr Stphen Wangen

Dr Stephen Wangen is the co-founder and Medical Director of the IBS Treatment Center. He is a board certified and licensed physician with a doctoral degree in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University. Dr. Wangen is the author of two books, “The Irritable Bowel Syndrome Solution,” and “Healthier Without Wheat: A New Understanding of Wheat Allergies, Celiac Disease, and Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance.” Dr. Wangen is also a clinical faculty member of Bastyr University and the Research Director of the Food Allergy and Intolerance Foundation. He may be reached in the Seattle office or by email at info@ibstreatmentcenter.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ibstreatmentcenter

If you live in the Seattle, Washington or Santa Monica, California areas you can call them at:

206-264-1111 (Seattle) or 310-319-1500 (Santa Monica).

You can learn more about Dr. Wangen and the IBS Treatment Center and the individual care they provide at www.IBSTreatmentCenter.com

Post interview remark

It was a pleasure to do this interview with Dr. Wangen and inspiring to know there are doctors who treat IBS patients comprehensively. Naturopathic doctors are not all created equal, and this one had me at “our goal is to improve patient outcome, based on the individual patient.”  There is no cookie cutter answer to managing IBS, and it is refreshing to speak with a healthcare provider that understands how IBS affects a patient’s quality of life, then sets about improving it.

Related articles:

What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome? By Celeste Cooper, here.

Coming Clean on a Dirty Secret, Irritable Bowel Syndrome by Celeste Cooper, here.

            As Fibromyalgia Expert on Sharecare, here.

SIBO, Yeast & Leaky Gut and YOU! here