Click here to leave a Google review<\/a><\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you’ve been bloated after every meal, dealing with unpredictable bowel habits, and getting nowhere despite cutting out food after food, there’s a condition most people haven’t heard of that could explain everything. It’s called SIBO: Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. It’s underdiagnosed, frequently mistaken for IBS, and in most cases, very treatable. The problem is simply getting to the right diagnosis. I’m Dr Prakash Gupta, a Consultant Gastroenterologist. SIBO is underdiagnosed, frequently misattributed to IBS, and in most cases, very treatable. The problem is simply getting to the right diagnosis. What Exactly Is SIBO? Your digestive system hosts trillions of bacteria \u2014 mostly beneficial, but location matters. Your large intestine is built to handle high bacterial populations. Your small intestine is not. SIBO occurs when bacteria migrate upward and colonise the small intestine in numbers it can’t manage. Once there, they ferment your food before your body absorbs it properly \u2014 producing excess gas, inflammation, and a gut that feels permanently off. This isn’t a traditional infection. It’s the wrong organisms in the wrong place. Symptoms of SIBO: What to Look For SIBO doesn’t tend to announce itself with one dramatic symptom. It’s usually a cluster of things that have been building for months \u2014 sometimes years. The most common ones I see: Persistent bloating, particularly after meals \u2014 often described as a ‘balloon’ sensation that builds throughout the day Abdominal discomfort, cramping, or a general sense of pressure in the gut Unpredictable bowel habits \u2014 this can mean constipation, loose stools, or both alternating Excessive gas and flatulence that seems out of proportion to what you’ve eaten Unexplained fatigue \u2014 when your gut isn’t absorbing nutrients efficiently, the rest of your body feels it In longer-standing cases: deficiencies in B12, iron, or fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) You may find that certain foods \u2014 particularly those containing onions, garlic, legumes, or wheat \u2014 seem to make things significantly worse. This is because these foods are rapidly fermented by bacteria, and in SIBO, there are far too many bacteria to manage that fermentation process properly. What Causes SIBO? In most cases, SIBO develops because something has disrupted the small intestine’s ability to keep bacteria moving through and prevent them from settling in. A few of the most common underlying mechanisms: Sluggish gut motility \u2014 The small intestine uses rhythmic contractions (the migrating motor complex) to sweep bacteria forward. When this slows \u2014 common in diabetes, thyroid conditions, or after abdominal surgery \u2014 bacteria accumulate. Low stomach acid \u2014 Acid is a frontline defence against bacterial overgrowth. Long-term use of PPIs like omeprazole quietly erodes that protection without most people realising. Structural changes \u2014 Surgical adhesions or strictures create stagnant zones were bacteria multiply unchallenged. Post-infectious damage \u2014 A single serious bout of food poisoning or gastroenteritis can permanently alter gut motility, leaving the small intestine sluggish and vulnerable long after recovery. Treatment: What Actually Works A simple hydrogen and methane breath test \u2014 no needles, no hospital. You fast overnight, drink a sugar solution, and breathe into tubes for over two hours. Elevated gas readings confirm overgrowth. Treatment: Rifaximin is the first-line antibiotic \u2014 works directly inside the gut, barely enters the bloodstream Minimal side effects compared to standard antibiotics Most patients notice real improvement within two weeks For methane-dominant SIBO, a second antibiotic is often added for better results The root cause must be addressed \u2014 motility, acid suppression, or structural issues \u2014 or SIBO returns A low-FODMAP diet runs alongside antibiotics to reduce foods that feed bacterial fermentation Low-FODMAP is short-term only \u2014 not a permanent diet, but genuinely helpful during recovery Full symptom resolution typically happens within a month of completing treatment A Final Word If you’ve had ongoing digestive symptoms, a normal colonoscopy, and no clear diagnosis \u2014 that’s the pattern that should prompt a SIBO conversation. You don’t need to have every symptom on the list. If bloating after meals, unpredictable bowel habits, and persistent gut discomfort have been part of your life for more than a few months \u2014 especially if standard investigations haven’t given you answers \u2014 it’s time to look further. At Harmony Digestive and Liver Wellness, we offer breath testing and thorough gut investigations, with findings explained in plain language. Book a consultation or screening today:\u00a0Click Here. To book a private liver or gut consultation or second opinion,\u00a0Get in touch with us. Had a great experience with us? We\u2019d love to hear your thoughts!\u00a0Click here to leave a Google review.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8753,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","two_page_speed":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8343","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/harmonygutandliver.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8343","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/harmonygutandliver.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/harmonygutandliver.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harmonygutandliver.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harmonygutandliver.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8343"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/harmonygutandliver.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8343\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8346,"href":"https:\/\/harmonygutandliver.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8343\/revisions\/8346"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harmonygutandliver.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8753"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/harmonygutandliver.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8343"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harmonygutandliver.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8343"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harmonygutandliver.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8343"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}