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Phone Number: (908) 273-3434
As a leading New Jersey gastroenterologist, Dr. Habba sees patients suffering from a range of gastrointestinal disorders, including Habba Syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome, also referred to as IBS. Interesting to note, many people (including other physicians) often confuse these two conditions. Dr. Habba is a leading researcher of IBS and other intestinal disorders, and his testing and expertise will make the distinctions necessary for a correct diagnosis.
IBS is a chronic health condition that affects the large intestine and requires long-term management. You might have heard it referred to as “spastic colon.” According to the National Institutes of Health, it may affect upwards of 20% of Americans. Most people do not suffer severe symptoms, but IBS is certainly uncomfortable and can be quite disruptive to daily life. Irritable bowel syndrome usually falls into these categories: constipation-predominant, diarrhea-predominant, or mixed.
Dr. Habba first suggested that irritable bowel syndrome is a collection of different conditions rather than a true single diagnosis—an umbrella diagnosis that encompasses a range of symptoms, rather than pointing to a specific condition. That said, it must be accurately diagnosed and treated.
IBS is usually the diagnosis given to a complex of symptoms encompassing abdominal pain and abnormal bowel habits -- either diarrhea or constipation -- and general physical weakness in the absence of other markers that would be an underlying cause. As opposed to something like a stomach virus, symptoms are usually present for a long time. In addition to diarrhea or constipation, patients come to Dr. Habba with:
● Cramping and abdominal pain
● Bloating during a bowel movement
● Persistent changes in bowel movement appearance (perhaps more mucus in the stool) and frequency
However, Dr. Habba recommends you come in for an examination and testing to confirm whether your abdominal condition is IBS or another GI disorder as opposed to more serious conditions (such as colon cancer). Besides, there is never a need to suffer with IBS or other disorders of the intestinal tract when treatments are available.
There is no definitive cause for the diagnosis of IBS. Many hypotheses have been postulated but, no definitive cause is confirmed; this supports Dr. Habba’s theory that IBS is a not a single medical entity, but rather, a “wastebasket diagnosis” and a diagnosis of exclusion. Having said that, these are some of the postulated causes for IBS:
• Changes in Intestinal Bacteria (your “gut microbes”)
• Changes in the rate and intensity of intestinal muscle contractions. The muscles that line the walls of the intestines contract as they move forward through your digestive track. Contractions that are stronger or last longer than usual can cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea (all symptoms of IBS). On the flipside, weak intestinal contractions can lead to hard or dry stools (constipation).
• Abnormalities in the digestive system nerves. Your abdomen naturally stretches from gas or stool. However, when the signals between your brain and the intestines don’t follow normally, your body may overreact to those normal digestive systems, causing you to experience pain, diarrhea, or constipation.
Since the causes of IBS are not well understood, treatment options tend to focus on managing the symptoms to improve patients’ quality of life. Some people can control their symptoms by altering their diet (such as adding high-fiber foods to combat constipation, or foods with water-soluble fiber to control diarrhea), changing their lifestyle, and reducing or managing stress levels.
Patients with more severe symptoms can also be treated with medication (antispasmodic and antidiarrheal medications) and therapy to aid in stress reduction (or tackling the core of that stress). Some people also seek out herbal therapies for intestinal health and acupuncture.
Most of these theraputic modalities have a poor response and at best, improve symptoms marginally. Most physicians accept IBS as a true, single diagnosis and do not search further for a true, specific medical condition that can be treated specifically.
Dr. Saad Habba’s office is in Summit, NJ, where he sees patients for a range of GI disorders and maladies of the digestive tract. An experienced gastroenterologist whose research has been published, Dr. Habba will conduct a thorough exam, run all the necessary tests, and determine if you have Habba Syndrome, “IBS,” or other gastrointestinal disorders. With an accurate diagnosis, treatment and relief is on the horizon.
Contact Dr. Habba’s office today!
Thank you for your interest. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Saad F. Habba, MD
12 Bank Street, Suite 102, Summit, NJ 07901-3661
Phone: (908) 273-3434
Fax: (908) 273-3210
12 Bank Street, Suite 102
Summit, NJ 07901-3661
Phone: (908) 273-3434
Fax: (908) 273-3210
Saad F. Habba, MD
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