Tag: Diseases

What You Should Know About IBS

Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder in the body that affects the digestive system, particularly the large intestine or the colon, which is assigned to regulate and man over the excretion of solid wastes of the body.

Although it may not seem true, irritable bowel syndrome is one of the most common diagnosed functional problems in the body. In the country alone, one out of five people are afflicted with the problem. This translates to about 20 percent of Americans. Still, little is known about the problem. Unlike other disorders that have already had awareness campaigns, irritable bowel syndrome still remain under the shadows. There is a lot of confusion as to how it starts and if a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome is appropriate.

What is doubly hard for this problem is the fact that there are no laboratory tests that can confirm the presence of irritable bowel syndrome. Diagnosis as mentioned before is solely dependent on the examination and study of the symptoms based on the account of the patient as well as on the medical history. Unlike other diseases that are directly caused by bacteria, virus and other organisms, irritable bowel syndrome has no known organic cause. Indirect causes or factors that may trigger the problem include stress, food items that may serve as irritant in the colon as well as milk products.

The numbers of cases of irritable bowel syndrome can actually even grow further as most people who have the problem do not even know that they have the problem. This is perhaps because of the fact that most of its symptoms are similar to symptoms of other body disorders. There is actually no distinctive symptom. This also the reason why it is classified under the term syndrome. Because there is a clear lack of a symptom that will differentiate it from other problems, diagnosis will depend on a set of symptoms that must be present. But what are the symptoms?

One of the main symptoms that doctors often watch out for in irritable bowel syndrome is the abdominal pain. This is actually one of the differentiating factors that doctors use to make a conclusion or final diagnosis. According to the Rome II Diagnostic Criteria, which is often used in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal disorders, irritable bowel syndrome symptoms include abdominal pain and discomfort episodes that may last for about 12 months.

Truths about IBS

Despite being one of the most commonly diagnosed problems in the country, there are still a lot of misinformation about irritable bowel syndrome, or what doctors call succinctly as IBS.

It may come as a surprise but irritable bowel syndrome actually affects one out of five people in the United States. These statistics translate to about 20 percent of the population. That is a pretty high prevalence considering that not much is known about the disease and misdiagnosis or even under diagnosis is possible.

Experts agree that numbers can still go up if people are made aware about the problem. Because the symptoms are quite common, and nothing much is known about irritable bowel syndrome, most people will mistake IBS for another problem.

Unlike other diseases that may be caused by an organism, bacteria or virus, irritable bowel syndrome is not caused by anything and if it caused by something. medical experts have no discovered that fact. In truth, doctors are stumped on what exactly starts off irritable bowel syndrome. One theory is that the large intestines of patients suffering from the illness are overly sensitive, as to what made it extra sensitive no one knows. Because of the extreme sensitiveness, the smallest and most minor of changes are recorded. The body will then react to these changes in the form of problems in the bowel movements.

There are some factors that trigger the exacerbation of the problem but are not considered as direct cause. One of them is stress. Stress changes a lot in the body system because the body compensates for the change. Stress is already known to wreak havoc to the systems of the body. Another suspected culprit is milk and milk products that are known to cause problems in the digestive track especially if one is lactose intolerant. There are also some food items that are said to trigger the problem.

Remember though that these three are not causes but rather factors that can trigger an already existing condition. There is a vast difference between these two.

Perhaps because there is no known cause, there is also no prescribed treatment for the problem. Rather doctors are free to recommend any course of treatment that they feel will benefit the patient. Most often, doctors will prescribed a medicine that contains fibers to help ease the constipation. Some doctors however will stick to the natural way by prescribing a diet that contains food items that have natural fibers.

The Unknown Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome is a body dysfunction that is characterized by problems with the excretion of solid body wastes. Although not much people actually know that such a condition exists, it is nevertheless quite common, affecting one out of five Americans, placing it as one of the most common problems diagnosed by the doctor.

There is actually no gender or age factor involved with irritable bowel syndrome. Everybody can be afflicted. Still, statistics show that there are more women who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome compared to men. Most people diagnosed have also traced their symptoms back to when they were not yet twenty years old.

If you are under the impression that constipation and diarrhea are the main symptoms, you are wrong. Because there are a lot of body problems that may result in constipation and diarrhea, medical experts placed these two as secondary symptoms. What the doctor must have in order to make a diagnosis is the occurrence of abdominal pain. There may also be bloating especially if the person has not been able to excrete waste materials for a long time.

What makes it harder to detect is the fact that symptoms for most people are not so severe. Most in fact do not even know that they have irritable bowel syndrome. This is why little is known about this problem despite its prevalence. Most people who do experience the symptoms, they are quick to dismiss them as mere food poisoning. They dont know the constipation and pain that they feel is an entirely different matter.

Causes of irritable bowel syndrome

Until now, there is still no clear answer what exactly causes irritable bowel syndrome. Medical experts are still stumped as to why such a condition occurs. Unlike some diseases and other medical condition, which is caused by a bacterial or viral infection, irritable bowel syndrome is not caused by one culprit.

Research on the problem has mentioned a large intestine, the part of the digestive system that regulates the passage of the body wastes, that is awfully sensitive. It seems that the large intestines of people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome is more easily reactive to stimulation, which in turn can affect the bowel movement.

Stress is often attributed with irritable bowel syndrome. There are also studies that suggest the role of some food items that may trigger the problem.

Precautions for Estrogen Supplement

Hormones are said to be the internal chemical messengers that regulate most of the important functions inside the body of a person. Each Estrogen has specific tasks that make the body works well.

Not all the hormones are helpful to the human system at all times because it serves as both antagonist and protagonist in the achievement of balance in the bodily functions. It can be due to the diet of a person, exercise and even stress.

Estrogen medications are used to treat disorders that are caused by low estrogen level in a persons body or due to the menopausal symptoms. However, if you are considering some of the side effects that have been brought by estrogen creams and other medications you can take estrogen supplements.

However, it must be noted that even some of the alternatives of hormone replacement products such as the estrogen supplements are not safe at all times. It can sometimes lead to disorders such as heart failures and bone loss.

It is true that most of the Estrogen supplements are natural but it does not always follow that these are always safe. Do not experiment on your body, so better if you will consult your doctor first before you taken such supplements.

Nevertheless, the effect of Estrogen supplement is not always bad because it can really treat hormonal imbalance and is also good for curing diseases such as the menstrual migraine, which is also a symptom of menopause.

Among the most common supplement for the Estrogen that achieves hormonal balance is the Premarin. This comes from the urine of a pregnant mare that contains various types of Estrogen. But only half of the Estrogens content in Premarin is found in human beings.

If Premarin is not suited in a persons system, it will result to the following side effects:

A person experiences bloating and swelling in some areas of the body that may seem very unusual.

There is also an intense feeling of irritation even without any reason. It
leads to persistent high tempered feeling.

The level of Depression also increases that can cause misery.

Usually, when the right amount or dosage of estrogen supplement is taken, you can also expect the best results if you take this supplement. It always depends upon you if you want to be successful with the treatment. Follow your doctors advice properly to prevent possible side effects of Estrogen supplement compounds. You should also keep in mind that estrogen supplements are not always safe. So, it is a good idea if you should consult your doctor first before taking this supplement.