IBS clinic in Seoul, led by a gut specialist

Why see an IBS clinic in Seoul with a GI subspecialist

Irritable bowel syndrome causes recurring abdominal pain together with changes in bowel habits: diarrhea, constipation, or both. It is a disorder of gut-brain interaction, meaning the gut is structurally normal but behaves oversensitively. Many patients at our IBS clinic in Seoul have been told "it's just stress" without a real explanation or plan.

Dr. HyunSung Park is a board-certified internist with gastroenterology subspecialty training and membership in the American Gastroenterological Association. That background helps in two ways: recognizing classic IBS confidently, and knowing which symptoms point elsewhere and need a different workup.

How IBS is diagnosed: Rome IV criteria

IBS is diagnosed from your symptom pattern, supported by a limited set of tests. Under Rome IV, you have recurrent abdominal pain on average at least one day a week over the last three months, linked to two or more of the following:

• Pain related to having a bowel movement
• A change in how often you go
• A change in stool form or appearance
• Symptoms that started at least six months before diagnosis

Ruling out look-alikes

Testing is targeted, not endless. Depending on your symptoms, Dr. Park may order a blood count and inflammation markers, fecal calprotectin to screen for inflammatory bowel disease, stool tests for infection or parasites, and thyroid tests. Celiac disease is uncommon in Korea but more relevant for people of European or Middle Eastern ancestry; the antibody blood test only works if you are still eating gluten.

A SIBO breath test can help when bloating and diarrhea dominate, especially after gastroenteritis or abdominal surgery. Lactose intolerance is very common in East Asian adults and is worth considering too. If colonoscopy is needed, for example because of age or warning signs, we can refer you to a hospital, since endoscopy is not performed at VEI Clinic.

Food sensitivity panels are available, but they cannot diagnose IBS and their results should be interpreted cautiously; a structured elimination diet is usually more informative.

Treatment: diet, gut-brain and medication

The low-FODMAP diet has the strongest evidence among dietary approaches. FODMAPs are fermentable carbohydrates found in foods like garlic, onion, wheat, certain fruits, beans and milk. The diet works in three phases: a short elimination of about two to six weeks, gradual reintroduction to find your personal triggers, and a long-term personalized diet. It is not meant to be followed strictly forever. Korean cooking leans heavily on garlic and onion, so we give practical swaps.

Other options, chosen by subtype, include soluble fiber such as psyllium for constipation, peppermint oil for cramping, antispasmodics, antidiarrheal or laxative medicines, low-dose neuromodulators that calm gut nerves, and rifaximin when SIBO is confirmed. Gut-directed psychological therapies have good evidence and can be a strong addition.

Who this approach suits, and who needs more

A Rome IV-based plan suits adults with long-standing, recurring symptoms, normal basic tests and no warning signs. It also works well for people who were diagnosed abroad and want continuity in English while living in Korea, or travelers whose symptoms flared after a bout of gastroenteritis.

It is not the right starting point if you have significant weight loss, bleeding, anemia, persistent nocturnal diarrhea or new symptoms later in life; those require investigation first, often including colonoscopy by hospital referral. People with a history of eating disorders should avoid restrictive diets such as strict low-FODMAP without close supervision, and we will choose gentler strategies instead.

Red flags that are not typical IBS

Book a prompt evaluation rather than assuming IBS if you have blood in the stool, unintended weight loss, symptoms that wake you at night, new symptoms after age 45, iron-deficiency anemia, fever, or a family history of colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease or celiac disease.

Go to an ER or call 119 in Korea for severe, constant abdominal pain, a rigid or swollen abdomen, repeated vomiting with inability to pass gas or stool, heavy rectal bleeding, black tarry stools, or fainting.