Write down your symptoms, including when they started and how they may have changed or worsened over time.Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment, and what to expect from your doctor. After an initial evaluation, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in treatment of digestive disorders (gastroenterologist). If you have signs and symptoms that are common to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), make an appointment with your doctor. Switching among different drugs can help avoid this problem. As a result, antibiotics can cause some of the very problems they're trying to cure, including diarrhea. Antibiotics wipe out most intestinal bacteria, both normal and abnormal. Some people with a loop in their small intestine may go for long periods without needing antibiotics, while others may need them regularly.ĭoctors may also switch among different antibiotics to help prevent bacterial resistance. But bacteria can return when the antibiotic is discontinued, so treatment may need to be long term. Testing may be performed if antibiotic treatment is not effective.Ī short course of antibiotics often significantly reduces the number of abnormal bacteria. Doctors may start this treatment if your symptoms and medical history strongly suggest this is the cause, even when test results are inconclusive or without any testing at all. In some cases, your doctor may recommend imaging tests, such as X-rays, computerized tomography (CT) scanning or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look for structural abnormalities of the intestine.įor most people, the initial way to treat bacterial overgrowth is with antibiotics. In addition to these tests, your doctor may recommend blood testing to look for vitamin deficiency or a stool evaluation to test for fat malabsorption. A sample of intestinal fluid is withdrawn and then tested in a laboratory for the growth of bacteria. To obtain the fluid sample, doctors pass a long, flexible tube (endoscope) down your throat and through your upper digestive tract to your small intestine. This is currently the gold standard test for bacterial overgrowth. Small intestine aspirate and fluid culture.Although widely available, breath testing is less specific than other types of tests for diagnosing bacterial overgrowth. A rapid rise in exhaled hydrogen or methane may indicate bacterial overgrowth in your small intestine. This type of noninvasive test measures the amount of hydrogen or methane that you breathe out after drinking a mixture of glucose and water. In order to diagnose small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), you may have tests to check for bacterial overgrowth in your small intestine, poor fat absorption, or other problems that may be causing or contributing to your symptoms.
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