Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a disorder where bacteria levels in the small intestine become too high, causing symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. It can occur after bowel surgery or in association with diseases that affect the immune system. Treatment involves antibiotics to restore the balance of bacteria in the gut.
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO, is a disorder in which the levels of bacteria in the small intestine become abnormally high. Symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea may occur. In severe cases, the disorder can interfere with the absorption of food from the gastrointestinal tract, causing fatigue, anemia, and vitamin or mineral deficiencies. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth can occur after bowel surgery, in association with diseases that affect the immune system, and can disrupt the normal movement of the bowels. Treatment of SIBO involves the use of antibiotics to correct the balance of bacteria in the gut.
The small intestine, also called the small intestine, is a narrow section of the intestine about 21 feet (about 6.4 meters) long. It attaches the stomach to the large intestine, or large intestine, which is shorter and wider than the small intestine. Food is digested in the small intestine and is absorbed through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream. While the large intestine normally contains a lot of bacteria, the small intestine typically contains only low levels of microbes. SIBO is sometimes alternatively known as SBBO or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
Conditions that reduce the muscle contraction of the intestinal walls, which normally serves to move food, and push bacteria out of the small intestine into the large intestine can cause an overgrowth of bacteria. Complications associated with bowel surgery and disorders such as Crohn’s disease, in which the intestines are inflamed, can sometimes affect the movement of food and bacteria through the intestines, leading to SIBO. Diabetes can also cause an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine, as it sometimes damages the nerves involved in intestinal contractions. Hypothyroidism can slow bowel movement, and diseases like AIDS, which suppress the immune system, can lead to an excess of bacteria in the small intestine. Although the two conditions have very similar symptoms and some doctors suspect they may be linked, there is no evidence that SIBO causes the condition known as irritable bowel syndrome.
Treatment of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth generally involves the use of antibiotic medications. The goals are to restore the normal bacterial population of the small intestine and reduce symptoms. Any underlying conditions, such as hypothyroidism, are also treated. You may need surgery to remove any intestinal abnormalities, such as pouches, where bacteria may have multiplied. In severe cases, complications such as dehydration from diarrhea and dietary deficiencies may need to be managed by giving nutrition and fluids into a vein.
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