As a rule, no drug therapy is required! Only if there is a confirmed bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine (bacterial overgrowth syndrome; dysbiosis; Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, SIBO) and other therapeutic measures have remained unsuccessful, therapy with rifaximin (drug from the class of broad-spectrum antibiotics) is indicated.
General measures
- Nicotine restriction (refraining from tobacco use).
- Limited alcohol consumption (men: max. 25 g alcohol per day; women: max. 12 g alcohol per day).
- Limited caffeine consumption (max 240 mg of caffeine per day; equivalent to 2 to 3 cups of coffee or 4 to 6 cups of green/black tea).
- Review of permanent medication due topossible effect on the existing disease.
- Avoidance of psychosocial stress:
- Stress
- Avoidance of environmental stress:
- Limit or avoid consumption of foods contaminated with heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury), such as fish (e.g. tuna because of mercury contamination) and seafood, canned foods, and offal
Conventional non-surgical therapy methods
- Microbiological therapy (symbiosis control) (see below the topic of the same name) – for modulation of intestinal microbial composition.
Regular check-ups
- Regular medical checkups
Nutritional medicine
- Nutritional counseling based on nutritional analysis
- Nutritional recommendations according to a mixed diet taking into account the disease at hand. This means, among other things:
- Daily total of 5 servings of fresh vegetables and fruits (≥ 400 g; 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruits).
- Once or twice a week fresh sea fish, i.e. fatty marine fish (omega-3 fatty acids) such as salmon, herring, mackerel.
- High-fiber diet (whole grains, vegetables).
- Observance of the following special dietary recommendations:
- Balanced diet rich in vital substances, respecting a low consumption of refined carbohydrates, such as white flour products.
- Diet rich in:
- Probiotic foods (if necessary, dietary supplements with probiotic cultures).
- Selection of appropriate food based on the nutritional analysis
- See also under “Therapy with micronutrients (vital substances)” – Taking a suitable dietary supplement.
- Detailed information on nutritional medicine you will receive from us.
Psychotherapy
- Stress management, if necessary
- Detailed information on psychosomatics (including stress management) can be obtained from us.