If you have been told you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), you are not alone. IBS is one of the most common digestive disorders, affecting an estimated 10–15% of people worldwide. But here’s something many people and even some healthcare providers don’t realize: a large number of those IBS cases may actually be something else entirely.
It’s called Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, or SIBO, and it could be the hidden reason behind your ongoing bloating, gas, or unpredictable trips to the bathroom. While IBS is often used as a catch-all diagnosis for digestive discomfort, SIBO is an actual condition with a clear cause—and thankfully, real solutions.
In this blog, we’ll help you understand what SIBO is, how it’s different from IBS, and why it’s often overlooked. Most importantly, we’ll walk you through how a functional medicine approach can help you get real answers and lasting relief. Let us begin by breaking down exactly what’s going on in the gut when SIBO is in the picture.
What Exactly is SIBO?
SIBO stands for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. Simply put, it means that too many bacteria—ones that are usually found in the large intestine—have made their way into the small intestine where they don’t belong.
Your small intestine is where most of your digestion and nutrient absorption happens. But when bacteria overgrow in this area, they start fermenting the food you eat too early in the digestive process. This can lead to symptoms like bloating, gas, discomfort, and changes in bowel habits—many of the same things people experience with IBS.
How does this differ from IBS? The key difference: IBS is a broad diagnosis based on symptoms, while SIBO has a specific, identifiable cause—bacterial overgrowth in the wrong place. Research from the World Journal of Gastroenterology shows that a significant number of people who are told they have IBS may actually have SIBO instead. One review found that up to 78% of IBS patients tested positive for SIBO when they were evaluated with breath tests.
While IBS is often treated as a mystery, being able to identify SIBO gives us a more concrete explanation—and more targeted ways to treat it.
Symptoms—How to Tell if Your IBS Could Be SIBO
It’s easy to confuse the symptoms of IBS and SIBO, because they can look very similar on the surface. There are some subtle differences that can point toward bacterial overgrowth as the deeper issue.
Here are some signs that your “IBS” might actually be SIBO:
- Bloating that starts soon after eating (often within 30 minutes)
- Excessive gas or burping
- Chronic diarrhea, constipation, or a mix of both
- Abdominal pain or cramping
- Fatigue and brain fog, especially after meals
- Unexplained nutrient deficiencies, like low B12 or iron
The bloating is often one of the biggest clues. In SIBO, it tends to come on quickly after eating—because the bacteria in the small intestine are fermenting your food right away, creating gas before your body has a chance to properly digest it.
Another important difference? SIBO can block nutrient absorption. Unlike classic IBS, SIBO can actually interfere with how your body absorbs key vitamins and minerals, since the bacteria are competing for those nutrients in the small intestine.
How does this happen in the first place? Sometimes it’s due to slower gut movement, which means food and bacteria aren’t being cleared out of the intestinal tract the way they should be. This can happen after a bout of food poisoning, from certain medications, or even from chronic stress. Over time, the bacteria can build up where they shouldn’t, and that is when symptoms begin to spiral.
While IBS is a broad diagnosis based on symptoms like bloating, pain, and irregular bowel movements, SIBO has a clear cause and a specific way to test for it. Think of IBS like a bucket of symptoms—doctors know something’s wrong, but they don’t always know why. SIBO, on the other hand, offers a real explanation: too many bacteria in the wrong part of the digestive tract. That difference is important, because it means there are more targeted ways to treat it.
If you have been trying to manage digestive discomfort with diet changes or medications but still feel stuck, it might be time to look a little deeper. Understanding whether SIBO is at the root of your symptoms can be a game-changer for your gut and your overall health.
Why is SIBO Often Misdiagnosed?
Even though SIBO can be a major driver behind digestive symptoms, it often goes undetected. That’s partly because it doesn’t always show up clearly on traditional lab work or imaging. Unless a healthcare provider is specifically looking for bacterial overgrowth, it is easy to mistake the symptoms for something else like stress-related IBS, food sensitivities, or even just “a sensitive stomach.”
Another reason? Conventional medicine often focuses on symptom management. When someone shows up at their healthcare provider’s office with bloating, cramping, or irregular bowel movements, they are typically prescribed medications – something for constipation, something else for diarrhea, maybe an acid reducer – and then sent on their way. The symptoms might quiet down for a while, but the root issue remains.
To complicate things, testing for SIBO isn’t part of routine care in many clinics. The most common method—called a breath test—measures the levels of hydrogen or methane gas produced by bacteria in your small intestine. While these tests can be helpful, they’re not always available or well understood in general practice. That means many patients never even get the chance to be tested, and their symptoms are chalked up to IBS or anxiety instead.
Research has also pointed out that the overlap between SIBO and IBS symptoms can make diagnosis even more difficult, especially since patients don’t always present with the same symptom patterns. This means many people fall through the cracks—never getting properly tested, and continuing to live with unresolved symptoms.
The result? It can mean an ongoing cycle of frustration and years of chasing symptoms without real answers and often without relief. They try different diets, bounce between medications, and may feel better for a while—but the underlying issue keeps coming back.
Functional medicine takes a different path. Rather than just matching symptoms with prescriptions, it aims to understand the why behind those symptoms and what’s causing the disruption in the first place. For many people with long-term digestive complaints, testing for SIBO is a crucial part of that process.
How Functional Medicine Tests and Treats SIBO
When it comes to SIBO, getting the right diagnosis is key. In functional medicine, we ask what’s causing the symptoms and then work with your body to bring it back into balance.
Testing for SIBO
The most common way to test for SIBO is with a breath test. This test measures hydrogen and methane gases that are produced when bacteria in your small intestine ferment certain sugars. If those gases spike at the wrong time, it can indicate bacterial overgrowth.
While breath testing isn’t currently offered in-house at Hyperbaric Wellness Center, many functional medicine clinics—including HWC—can refer you to a trusted lab or partner provider who offers it. In some cases, we may also recommend stool testing to look for hidden infections, parasites, or inflammatory markers that could be playing a role in your gut health.
How SIBO is Treated in Functional Medicine
Once SIBO is confirmed—or strongly suspected based on your symptoms and health history—the goal is to gently bring the bacterial balance in your small intestine back to where it should be. This can be achieved by addressing the overgrowth directly, supporting your digestion, and creating the right environment for long-term healing.
Here’s what that can look like:
1. Herbal Antimicrobials
Instead of automatically turning to antibiotics, one option is to use herbal blends that have natural antibacterial properties. These might include ingredients like oregano oil, berberine, or garlic extract. They help reduce the overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine without wiping out the beneficial bacteria throughout the rest of the digestive tract. This more gentle approach often leads to fewer side effects, and can help protect your long-term gut health.
2. Targeted Supplements
Your gut needs the right tools to heal and work properly. Depending on your unique needs, you might be given:
- Digestive enzymes, which help your body break down food more efficiently so there’s less left behind to feed bacteria
- Motility support, such as magnesium or herbal bitters to keep food and bacteria moving in the right direction
- Binders or detox support, to help clear out bacterial byproducts and reduce inflammation
Supporting digestion and detox pathways can ease symptoms, reduce recurrence, and help in the repair of your gut lining.
3. Dietary Adjustments
In many cases, a short-term dietary approach like the low-FODMAP diet is used. This involves temporarily avoiding certain types of carbohydrates that are easily fermented by bacteria—things like onions, garlic, beans, and certain fruits. A low-FODMAP diet starves the excess bacteria while still giving your body what it needs. It does not last forever—but it can offer fast relief while deeper healing takes place.
4. Post-Treatment Probiotics
Once the bacterial overgrowth is under control, carefully selected probiotics may be introduced. The goal is to rebuild a healthy microbiome and keep things from getting out of balance again. Jumping into probiotics too early can make symptoms worse, but using the right strains at the right time can support long-term gut balance.
Additional Healing Tools at Hyperbaric Wellness Center
To further support your healing, HWC offers unique modalities that go beyond what’s typically available in standard care:
- Cold Laser Therapy – This gentle, non-invasive treatment can help calm inflammation in the gut and speed up tissue repair, which is especially helpful after prolonged digestive stress.
- AO Scan Technology – This tool assesses energetic imbalances in the body and provides insight into how your systems are functioning. It’s used to personalize your wellness plan and guide targeted healing.
- Stool Testing – For more complex cases, advanced stool analysis can help detect parasites, inflammation, and other hidden imbalances that may be contributing to SIBO or keeping the gut from healing fully.
Treating the Root Cause, Not Just the Symptoms
Digestive issues like bloating, gas, or irregular bowel habits can leave you feeling frustrated—especially if you’ve tried everything and still don’t feel like yourself. If you’ve been told you have IBS but haven’t gotten real relief, it may be time to look beneath the surface.
SIBO is one of those hidden causes that often goes overlooked, but when properly identified and treated, it can make a world of difference in how you feel day to day. Instead of chasing symptoms with quick fixes, a functional medicine approach helps uncover what’s really going on—and offers a path toward real healing.
At Hyperbaric Wellness Center, our goal is to help you understand your body, not just manage your symptoms. Whether you’re just learning about SIBO or feel like your gut has been out of balance for years, we are here to help you find answers.
If you’re ready to explore what’s really behind your digestive symptoms, we invite you to connect with us for a personalized gut health consultation. It’s a small step—but it could lead to big changes in how you feel.
Resources
Ghoshal, U. C., & Srivastava, D. (2014). Irritable bowel syndrome and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth: Meaningful association or unnecessary hype. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 20(10), 2482–2491. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3949258/
Mayo Clinic. (2024). An updated appraisal of the SIBO hypothesis and the limits of breath testing. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. https://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-professionals/digestive-diseases/news/an-updated-appraisal-of-the-sibo-hypothesis-and-the-limits-of-breath-testing/mac-20574581
Rezaie, A., Buresi, M., Lembo, A., Lin, H., McCallum, R., Rao, S., … & Pimentel, M. (2020). Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and irritable bowel syndrome: A bridge between functional organic dichotomy. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, 605. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32754068/
