What is the Ileo-Caecal Valve?

Between the small intestine and the large intestine is a valve called the Ileocecal Valve (ICV). The purpose of this valve is to “prevent backflow” from the Large Intestine into the Small Intestine.

The Small Intestine is where we absorb our nutrients from our food, at the end of the small intestine, the Large Intestine begins and the two are separated by the ICV. Watery waste products left over from absorption are passed into the large intestine.

What is a functioning ileocecal valve?

Remains closed most of the time.
Opens briefly to let the contents of the small intestine exit.
Closes again quickly to prevent any materials in the large intestine from leaking back.

Problems with an open ileo cecal valve are extremely common in today’s society yet its symptoms are often overlooked. The ileo caecal valve is a very common cause of digestive complaints, but very few practitioners or Doctors understand it’s importance.

What is a malfunctioning ileocecal valve?

Lets pretend you have a downstairs toilet right next to the kitchen. You have just prepared a lovely dinner but the door to your toilet is jammed open and now the toilet has all backed up and nasty loo stuff is coming into your kitchen getting everywhere.. you really wont want to eat your dinner with that everywhere would you?

In this analogy the small intestine is the kitchen and the large intestine is the loo. The faulty door is your Ileo Caecal valve.
Sadly when the faecal matter returns to the small intestine it carries on doing its job of absorption so we reabsorb toxic waste matter making us feel tired, headachey, have joint pain and of course awful IBS.

Ileocecal Valve Symptoms

ICV symptoms can present as joint pain, circulation problems, muscular aches and pains, pinched nerves, or even whole body arthritis. The following lists many of the common symptoms attributed to a malfunctioning ICV.

Sudden, stabbing, sharp low back or leg pain
Sharp, pinpoint headaches, especially on the left side, at the base of the skull
Dull headaches, which often linger for hours in the frontal area
Migraine headaches are frequently of ileocecal origin as a system-wide response to the toxicity of the ICV
Chronic sinus infection, dripping sinuses, especially when not during allergy season
Allergies, the type often wrongly attributed to dust, cat hair, and mites
Dark circles under the eyes, puffy cheeks
“Loose bowels” not quite diarrhoea, but looser than should be
Any of the “colon syndromes” such as Crohn’s Disease, spastic colon, irritable bowel, Celiac Disease
Burning leg pain (that feels like a nerve) into the front of the left thigh
“Asthma-like” symptoms
General non-specific lower GI discomfort or symptoms often attributed to a psychological cause by practitioners unfamiliar with the ICV

This is all resolvable! We can help you get rid of these symptoms and be free from IBS.

Our experts are very experienced at dealing with ICV issues and IBS symptoms. Book your consultation today in Hampshire, UK.