The IBS Treatment Center, which specializes in treating irritable bowel syndrome, announced the opening of a new clinic in Santa Monica, California, in late October. Conveniently located next to the UCLA Medical Center, this new branch of the clinic will provide a progressive approach to digestive health as well as easy access to treatment for patients previously without adequate care. Since 2005, thousands of patients suffering from digestive problems have been traveling to Seattle from all corners of the world to be treated for this debilitating condition that affects approximately 15 percent of the population.
According to the clinic co-founder, Dr. Stephen Wangen, "We have seen many patients who have already been to five, even ten, gastroenterologists at top medical facilities around the country, but have received only standard testing and palliative care. The nature of irritable bowel syndrome is that there is no one-size-fits-all treatment, so we created a clinic that meets the need for highly specialized testing and provides each patient with customized treatment and superior care."
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is second only to the common cold as a cause of worker absenteeism. It is a chronic condition that dramatically reduces quality of life and can be severe enough to put a patient into a permanently disabled state. Patients are frequently told that there is nothing wrong with them, or that it is all in their head. Without effective treatment patients usually stay sick for years.
"Standard care for many digestive problems, including most diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, and abdominal pain, leaves people with few options other than masking symptoms. Our patients desire a proactive approach to their digestive problems and are looking for real answers. They want treatment that actually solves the problem, and that is our commitment," says Dr. Amy Nelson of the IBS Treatment Center in Santa Monica.
IBS can have serious life-altering consequences, with many patients frequently ending up in emergency rooms due to severe abdominal pain. Inflammatory triggers of IBS symptoms, like allergies, celiac disease, and infections, may result in increased risk of heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, headaches, and other pain-related conditions, while other causes can affect nutritional health with wide ranging consequences. When the underlying cause of the irritable bowel syndrome is detected and treated, the patient often experiences resolution of not only their symptoms, but other health problems as well.
While the Santa Monica clinic will open in late October, patients are already able to schedule their appointments.
Higher zinc intake linked to increased endometriosis risk, study finds