Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Type IV Allergies: Making the Connection in Practice

Irritable Bowel Syndrome affects an estimated one out of ten people in the US, yet the causes for this disease are multivariate and often unknown from case to case, creating a reputation in practice as a "waste basket diagnosis." Dr. Michael Stierstorfer, Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and founder of East Penn Dermatology, has been a pioneer in helping clinicians better understand one potential cause of IBS. His own experience as IBS patient led to the remarkable discovery of an allergic contact enteritits underscoring his disease, which has led to new diagnostic and treatment algorithms for IBS patients nationwide. Dr. Stierstorfer joins Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss this unexpected path toward discovery and subsequent career specialization.