1. Irritable Bowel Syndrome Is Common
One in five adults in the USA suffers from irritable bowel syndrome, making it one of the most commonly diagnosed disorders. Unfortunately up to 70 percent don't seek medical help until symptoms are quite severe. Irritable bowel syndrome causes abdominal pains, bloating, constipation alternating with diarrhea and cramping. It can cause a great deal of discomfort, but doesn't usually cause any permanent damage and does not lead to diseases such as cancer. Most people learn to control the symptoms by making adjustments to their diet and stress management. Dietary changes include drinking plenty of water and perhaps avoiding dairy products.
2. All About Colitis
Colitis, also known as ulcerative colitis is disease causing acute or chronic inflammation of the lining of the colon. It leads to inflammation and ulcers in the top layers of the large intestinal lining. It rarely affects the small intestine except for the ileum. It causes diarrhea and bleeding. It can be difficult to diagnose because of its similarity to irritable bowel syndrome, and its cause is unknown. Treatment involves drugs to control diaries and medications that bind bile salts.
3. What Is Crohn's Disease?
Crohn's disease is a long-term, chronic disorder of the intestine. The etiology is unknown. Crohn's disease causes the gastrointestinal tract to become inflamed and weak, making digestion difficult and causing general debility. Although the etiology of Crohn's disease is obscure, it is thought that certain harmful antigens may activate immune cells in the intestinal wall, causing inflammation. The most common complication is blockage of the intestine. Blockage occurs because the disease tends to thicken the intestinal wall with swelling and scar tissue, narrowing the passage. Crohn's disease may also cause sores, or ulcers, that tunnel through the affected area into surrounding tissues such as the bladder, vagina or skin. The disease is usually treated with anti-inflammatory agents or steroids.
4. Symptoms of Colon Cancer
Colon cancer is a cancer of the large intestine, which is at the lower end of your digestive system. Most cases start out with small clumps of benign polyps, over time these turn into colon cancers. At the polyp stage, there may be few or no symptoms. A regular screening test can help you be sure that you are polyp-free. If signs of cancer do show up, they can show as sudden changes in bowel timing, the presence of blood in your stool, abdominal cramping, and persistent gas. Treatment will depend on the stage of your cancer at diagnosis. The three main options are surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
5. Constipation Symptoms
Symptoms of constipation include, infrequent and difficult bowel movement, straining, hard stood and incomplete bowel evacuation. The diagnosis is essentially made based on your own description of the symptoms. Bowel movements that are difficult to pass, very hard, or made up of small hard pellets are signs of as constipation, even if they occur every day. Treatment includes adding water and fiber to the diet, stool softeners and regular exercise.
