Woman with digestive disorders clutching her belly

Digestive Disorders

Do you know the significance of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract? The GI tract is where you find 85% of your immune system and 95% of your neurotransmitters. This fact says that you cannot ignore any digestive disorders. If you suffer from any of the digestive system diseases, the chances are high that it might lead to some other health disorder.

Some of the digestive disorders we can diagnose at Progressive that typically demonstrates gastrointestinal symptoms:

  • Acid Reflux
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
  • Crohn’s Disease
  • Colitis
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
  • Gas
  • Bloating
  • Constipation
  • Loose stools
  • Stomach pain

Digestive health problems don’t always manifest as digestive disorders. You may experience symptoms like tiredness, joint pain, brain fog, memory issues and mood swings. Thus, identifying the root cause of the symptoms is the key to treating your health conditions. Most often, the root cause lies in the digestive system. That’s why Progressive gives great significance to digestive wellness. Our goal is to discover the root cause of chronic illness, analyzing the symptoms of our patients.

Advanced Digestive Diagnostic Tests At Progressive

We offer advanced diagnostics tests for digestive disorders that you will not find at a regular doctor’s office. These tests are critical to understanding your digestive health.

1) FOOD SENSITIVITY TEST

Progressive has developed the most advanced food sensitivity test in conjunction with the Ph.D./MD experts at Dunwoody Labs. Unlike conventional allergy tests or food sensitivity tests, this will test for four levels of inflammatory markers (vs. others that only test for 1 or 2).

2) LEAKY GUT TEST

“Leaky gut” is when small particles of food slip through the lining of the digestive system, due to a lack of tight junctures in the gut lining. This can cause inflammation throughout the body and has adverse health effects. The test identifies markers that measure leaky gut and allergic inflammation. When these markers are abnormal, the risk for diabetes, celiac disease, neurologic conditions, cancers, and anything driven by inflammation increases.

3) GUT BACTERIA TEST

Gut Bacteria Test or GI Microbiota Test measures the healthy (and unhealthy) bacteria in the digestive system. If the “bad bacteria” overgrow in the gut, it doesn’t allow the “good bacteria” (probiotics) to do their job. Thus, harmful bacteria derail several functions such as breaking down food, helping the body absorb nutrients, and keeping the gut in balance. This Gut Bacteria test determines if the digestive system is optimally absorbing nutrients.

4) H.PYLORI BREATH TEST

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection happens when H. pylori bacteria infect your stomach. H. pylori infection is considered a common cause of ulcers. A simple breath test can be done in less than 20 minutes to identify whether you have an H. pylori infection.

5) SMALL INTESTINE BACTERIAL OVERGROWTH (SIBO) TEST

Your small intestine takes care of food absorption. For that process, you need an adequate amount of stomach acid to protect the digestive system from harmful bacteria, fungi, or parasites coming in through food. Otherwise, bacteria can embed in the small intestine and cause a multitude of nutritional deficiencies. Progressive Medical Center uses the hydrogen breath test to determine whether there is a bacterial infection in the small intestine. The test measures the levels of hydrogen or methane. It can be done at home and processed at the Center. And after the test? Your physician creates a targeted, SIBO-specific treatment plan for you!

6) GASTROGRAM TEST

Heartburn can be caused by TOO LITTLE stomach acid. That means that the Nexium and Prilosec you’ve been taking to lower your stomach acid may be making the problem worse. To accurately determine stomach acid levels, Progressive is proud to be one of the ONLY facilities in America to offer the Gastrogram Test. Progressive practitioners test the actual pH of the stomach and small intestine, to discover how effectively your stomach acid and enzymes are breaking down your food.

What Our Patients Say

Treat Your Digestive Disorders At Progressive

Areas of treatment we often recommend for digestive health:

1) REDUCE INFLAMMATION 

The fire of chronic gastrointestinal inflammation has to be extinguished to begin to rejuvenate your intestinal tract.

2) BALANCE STOMACH ACID

Believe it or not, most people produce too little acid as opposed to too much. Keep in mind that it is vital to maintain balance.

3) REGULAR BOWEL MOVEMENTS 

At Progressive, we believe anyone should have at least two bowel movements a day. If you’re not, it is worth assessing your gut health.

4) REMOVE WASTE 

Over time our bowels accumulate toxic matter that chronically makes us feel sick and tired. Any digestive rejuvenation program should consist of a digestive cleanse to eliminate a lifetime of neglect in this area.

5) UNCOVER FOOD SENSITIVITIES 

Unknownst to most of us, some foods make us chronically sick or at least rob us of energy. The solution is to get tested at our facility and remove these foods from your diet. If now is not a good time, we recommend four weeks of no dairy, gluten, soy, peanuts, and eggs. These are the most common foods our bodies develop resistance to.

Get Gut Health Under Control With Progressive’s Help!

If you experience stomach or digestive issues or suspect you may have a food sensitivity, call Progressive today to speak with one of our patient care specialists. They will be happy to tell you more about our testing, the program, and our overall care.

Heal the gut. Heal the body!

Get An Appointment Today At Progressive Medical Center!